Dead Girl
by NightcatMau
Summary: Valkyrie thinks she's going on a hot date, but the Dead Men have other plans. Sort of an AU thing. I wanted to do a one-page chapter story, so here t'is. Contains violence and lime, mature readers only please. Valkyrie/Anton pairing then Darquesse/Anton. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Dexter, Anton, Ghastly, Saracen or Erskine. Uh, Val is in her 20's I guess.

* * *

I walked out of the hair salon, feeling on top of the world. I was wearing a sexy black dress and heels and with my hair done and a slight curl to it, I knew I was owning that dress. As I hit the sidewalk looking for the Bentley the catcalls started.

"Hey, pretty lady!"

"Ay, mami, you lookin' tight!"

I looked up sharply, ready for a fight and saw a group of men standing together, heads bowed so I couldn't make out their faces. Behind me, the Bentley pulled up, and I could hear Skulduggery get out, but I was still in shock as the men lifted their heads to stare at me.

"You're all a bunch of friggin' idiots." I growled as Dexter Vex and the other Dead Men grinned at me. "At least _he_ has manners." I nodded my head towards Anton, who'd kept to the shadows, watching the other men tease me.

I turned on Skulduggery who was leaning against the Bentley, clearly amused. "You said I had a hot date tonight! That you'd pick me up here and you'd arranged a date with that hot guy from the Sanctuary!"

"Did I?" He asked innocently and I wanted to strangle him. "Mm, well you do have a hot date, with the other Dead Men!" He chortled. At least that's what I think he said, Dexter wasn't through teasing me yet.

"Val, likes a boy! She's going on a date!" He was singing as Ghastly opened the van for us, grinning like an idiot.

"With a purty boy!" Saracen put in, and they both burst out laughing. My cheeks were flaming bright red in shame as we all got settled in and my idiot brothers-in-arms couldn't resist messing up my hair or making stupid comments about my perfume.

"If we've got a mission, at least tell me we're stopping so I can change." I growled at Skulduggery, as I wrapped my arms around myself to cover my exposed cleavage.

"That we are." He agreed and soon Ghastly had pulled into a fast food place where I changed into the clothes Ghastly had brought for me then joined the others in grabbing a quick meal.

"Sorry about the teasing,Val. But you did look pretty." Saracen said, smiling an apology at me.

"We're used to seeing you dressed for combat. Who knew there was a girl under all those clothes?" Dexter asked and his lips twitched.

"That's enough, children." Anton said and the men promptly settled down. "You looked lovely, Val." He said, treating me to a rare smile that made me blush.

Erskine wasn't saying much of anything though he was looking at me strangely and I could only wonder what our mission was and why my friends were all making such a big deal out of a stupid dress.

* * *

**Wheee, randomness! Let me know if you want more! **


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Erskine, Anton, Ghastly, Dexter or Saracen. A billion thanks to** CJBrown** and **Enelya Arcamenal** for reviewing!

* * *

I knew enough not to ask about a mission in public, but I was dying to know. Each man had a more or less outdoorsy look to them, except for Skulduggery who seemed to enjoy sticking out in his sharp suit. I was wearing jeans, a warm grey sweater and hiking boots, so I guessed the mountains. Erskine cleared up the mystery when we returned to the van.

"Two weeks in the mountains, Val." He said as we got settled. "I have a lodge up there."

"You own a lodge?" I asked, twisting in my seat to face him. Erskine nodded.

"Anton has a hotel, but why not own something romantic?" He asked, looking at me rather dreamily and I shivered slightly as I turned around again. I knew girls and women swooned over him, but he'd always given me the creeps, especially the way he'd stare at me.

"Warm enough, Valkyrie?" Anton asked from beside me, his hands on the black scarf he was wearing.

"I'm good." I said and he smiled at me.

"You should be, I designed those clothes for the mountains." Ghastly put in from the driver's seat.

"Thank you, Ghastly. You didn't have to, you know." I said and he waved a hand. Skulduggery, sitting beside him turned and stared at me for a moment, then at Anton, then shook his head. I wanted to ask Anton what Skulduggery's problem was when Dex tapped my shoulder from beside Erskine.

I looked back at him and he looked away, grinning. He did it again, then again. He must have tried a fourth time because I heard a slap then a yelp from Dex. "Thank you, Anton." I said, trying not to laugh as Dex whined.

"Anytime, Val. Two weeks with these children, aren't you the lucky one?" He asked dryly.

"Men never grow up, do they?" I asked, amused, and he shrugged.

"Some of us do." Anton replied and I murmured something vague to that and sat back in my seat to close my eyes. I was still annoyed that Skulduggery had played a trick on me, but I knew he hadn't meant any harm. Sometimes the other Dead Men found me being a girl extremely funny.

Anton didn't. Anton acted like I was annoying half the time and he wished I'd go away. So I'd usually avoided him on missions, letting him approach me. He wasn't friendly like Saracen, fun like Dexter or even comforting like Ghastly, so I wondered why he'd agreed to come. Unless he knew something about the trip I didn't, and as I fell to sleep I hoped there was a mission involved.

* * *

**Aww, poor Dex! He's just trying to have a little fun. At least he doesn't give Val the creeps.**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Dex, Ghastly, Skulduggery, Erskine, or Anton. A bazillion thanks go out to** LililolipopD**, **CJBrown** and **Justrockzyxxx** for reviewing!

* * *

When I woke up we'd stopped for snacks and to stretch our legs at a rest area. After washing my face with cold water to wake up I was headed to the snack machines when Dex grabbed me playfully from behind. "Oh, Val! We get to have a sleepover! We can paint each other's nails, and braid each other's hair, and talk about boys! Squee!" He said in a high-pitched voice. Then we both broke into hysterical laugher as I staggered around, trying to shake him off and several older people at the snack machines turned to glare at us.

Ghastly was almost doubled-over in laughter and even Skulduggery looked amused. The rest of the Dead Men were back in the van, so we picked our snacks in a hurry. "Val gets shotgun." Ghastly said as the others piled in the van.

"How aren't you deaf, sweetie?" He asked, amused and I shrugged. Ghastly and I had never said a word, but he'd become like a second father to me when I gave up my family for magic. And now like any good dad he was giving me a break from Dex's playfulness.

We made the cabin in good time, Ghastly assuring me I had a bag Skulduggery had packed for me. We'd all toted our bags in when Erskine gave us a quick tour. "There's a hot tub outside on the deck, Valkyrie." Erskine said.

"And I forgot to pack your suit. Pity." Skulduggery said dryly.

"Well, you can go for a walk with me later." Erskine tried.

"Valkyrie volunteered to accompany me to the bookstore I like in town." Anton said.

"Oh, right. You can borrow one of the cars then." Erskine said cheerfully.

"Come on then, there's a double room with an interconnecting door if I remember correctly, my most loyal combat accessory. We can be roomies." Skulduggery said and I smiled and followed him up the stairs to the second floor. Once we were safely inside his room, I hugged him tightly.

"Thanks for the save."

"Not a problem. You don't like him that way, do you?" He asked anxiously.

"Erskine? Ew, no. He's a total creeper."

"Good." He chuckled. "Well, you better not keep Anton waiting. I'm well aware it's the first you heard of the bookstore, but I think you'll like it. Here, buy yourself something, and Anton too. Coffees. And if he refuses, I'm right."

"About what?" I asked and he shrugged.

"You'll see."

* * *

**OMG, what is Skul up to now? Stay tuned to find out!**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Erskine, Dexter, Larrikin, Ghastly, Saracen or Dex.

* * *

I found Anton in the massive garage Erskine had in his mountain lodge. There were plenty of cars to choose from, but Anton took the most sedate one. I didn't mind, and as he got my door for me I thanked him for rescuing me from Erskine.

"My pleasure." He said.

Anton told me as we drove down the mountain to a small town that the Dead Men had reunions at the lodge every so often. As we parked in front of the bookstore he looked at me. "You know, seeing you with Dexter today reminded me of how Larrikin used to bedevil me. So, thank you for that." He smiled gently then escorted me inside.

As Anton browsed I wandered to the attached coffee area and looked at the menu, debating. When Anton joined me, he turned down my offer of coffee as Skulduggery had said he would. "How about lattes instead, Valkyrie? My treat, and something chocolate." I happily agreed, and soon we were sitting down to split a decadent chocolate bombe.

"Again you have my thanks. One of the few things I dislike about the Midnight Hotel is that there's never time for things like this." He gestured around us. We lingered and I had to good sense to thank him for the trip to town when we got back.

Ghastly found me almost instantly and drug me into the kitchen to help with dinner. "Camp out food, but would you look at this place?" He gestured and I nodded. There was a huge indoor grill to cook on, and soon we had hot dogs going. I knew very well Ghastly was being nosy when he spoke again. "So. You went into town, huh?"

"Yes, I did." I agreed, smiling.

"With Anton."

"Yes-"

"Mm."

"What "Mm."?"

"Nothing, nothing." He said teasingly and I flushed.

"Stop it, it was Anton, Ghastly. Now had it been Saracen-"

"Had it been Saracen, I'd have protected your virtue, Val!" Dex declared, laughing as he joined us. "I would have gone with you and fought him most fiercely." He picked up a hot dog for an imaginary sword and waved it around wildly. He then ate it and broke into a giggling fit.

"I sometimes have trouble believing you're an adult, Dex." Ghastly said dryly.

Dex just giggled then leaned in to whisper to me. "So how'd that hot date go?" He asked, elbowing me in the ribs. He winked, then took off laughing before Ghastly could hit him with the tea towel. I realized then I was trapped with crazy men for the next two weeks. Lucky me indeed.

* * *

**Bad, Dex, bad! Reviews help greatly, you know. **


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Erskine, Skulduggery, Saracen, Ghastly or Anton. Special thanks go out to **CJBrown** for reviewing and **Fire Kitty 12** for the fave!

* * *

At dinner Erskine made an announcement. "As you all know Val had a date she ditched to be with us. Which is good because I had a Sensitive convince him earlier today that what he really wanted to do was move to Australia."

"You did what?" I asked.

"You remind me of my little sister, Val. And nobody touches my sister." Erskine said, then smiled benignly. "You're an excellent cook, by the way." He added happily, as if he hadn't just admitted to ruining my love life.

"Pity. I missed my chance to shoot him." Skulduggery said wistfully. I sighed. The only bad thing about male friends was that they chased all the cute guys away.

Saracen looked at me thoughtfully. "You could do better without even trying, Valkyrie. Trust me, I know things." He said with a smile and I sighed again. They all meant well and I was happy to be with them, but I didn't run in and break up their relationships, did I?

* * *

After dinner I got ready for bed and let Skulduggery in when he knocked on the dividing door. "What? No window?" I asked and he tilted his head in a smile.

"I like to keep you guessing. Speaking of guessing, how did the trip into town go?" He asked and I told him that he was right, Anton refused to let me buy him coffee.

"So what does that prove, other than he's a nice guy?" I asked and Skulduggery took off his hat to brush off imaginary lint nervously. "Oh, no. Not you too. He's just a friend, Skulduggery, you know that."

"And yet he asked me tonight if he could take you skiing tomorrow and he asked my permission to take you into town. Odd behaviour for a friend, Val." I rolled my eyes at him and he titled his head in another grin.

* * *

But Skulduggery had told the truth about going skiing. Anton showed up when Ghastly and I were making breakfast and invited me. "Sure, Anton, sounds great." I said and he seemed pleased I'd go. He went off to pick up the daily paper and Ghastly looked at me.

"Ski trip, huh?"

"Don't start."

"You could do a lot worse. He's not the most exciting man I've ever met, but he's a good man, Val. Maybe we're all reading him wrong, but if not, just give him a chance, all right?" I agreed because it couldn't hurt. Anton Shudder was the last man on earth who'd want to go out with me.

* * *

**Hm, is Val speaking too soon? And what about Dex or Saracen? Is either one of them interested? And why does romance creep into every single story I write? Stay tuned to find out!**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Dex, Saracen, Skulduggery or Erskine. A billion thanks go out to **CJBrown **and **Justrockzyxxx** for reviewing and **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for the follow!

* * *

Anton was only too happy to take me skiing, stopping at the rental place so we could get outfits and skis. I said a silent prayer of thanks when he insisted on something black and sensible for me. "Thank a million for not choosing a snow bunny outfit." I said as we stood at the top of the hill.

"Advance course, Val. Black makes it easier for the medics to find all the crumpled bodies." He said, snapping down the visor on his helmet. We were both wearing them and it was a good idea as I was wobbly at first. Anton looked like he'd been born on skis, going at speeds and doing turns I'd expect out of a guy like Dex or Saracen.

After our first run I could keep up with him, and Anton would drift closer at times, spraying me with snow, then take off like a bullet. I'd laugh, then chase him. After a couple of hours I was tired, but exhilarated. Anton was showing me the time of my life and he wasn't even trying. As we rode the lift back up a final time to return our rentals Anton offered me lunch out. "I'd love to, Anton. Thank you. And thanks for today. I mean it."

"My pleasure. This is the part where I tell you I didn't approve of that young man anymore than Skulduggery or Erskine. You can do a lot better, Val, trust me." I blushed slightly. As we got in the car a song I liked came on. Instead of snapping it off like Skulduggery would, Anton turned the volume up.

"I always liked the video for that song, except for the end, of course." Anton said. Then at my surprised look: "I know who Teen Hearts is, Val. I'm not a total recluse." He teased.

"I like it too, except for how mean that girl is to him. He's sweet, she should give him a chance, and she acts like she doesn't even know he likes her." I said and Anton raised an eyebrow to that.

"Indeed. Maybe she doesn't _want_ to know. He's not her type." There was something in the way he said that as he pulled up to a little roadside restaurant that made me look at him and smile.

"Maybe she needs a hit on the head." I teased.

"He could always oblige." Anton said with a smile and I wanted to kiss him at that point. Maybe because he was being sweet, maybe because with red hair and glasses he'd kinda be an older version of Kelly Scott Orr. But there was something about that moment that made me want to. The pause felt like an invitation, but I hesitated. What if he didn't want me to kiss him?

"Well, let's go inside then, shall we?" I'll get your door." Anton said, getting out and my chance to kiss him was gone.

_Just as well. _I thought._ Maybe he doesn't even like me and if he doesn't kissing him would be a mistake. A big mistake._ As Anton got my door I wondered if I'd done the right or wrong thing by hesitating and mentally kicked myself for at least not taking a chance. But as he smiled at me and escorted me in I hoped I had done the right thing.

* * *

**Poor Val! Does Anton like her or not? First a trip into town for coffee, then a day of skiing and lunch out. Hmm. And yeah, the same Teen Hearts video has to stop showing up in all my stories, I know. I just have a soft spot for adorkable guys. **


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Ghastly or Skulduggery. Thanks go out to **CJBrown **for the fave and follow and **Justrockzyxxx **for the review.

* * *

Anton escorted me to a table by the window, pulling out my chair for me, I murmured my thanks then smiled as he sat down across from me. "You look beautiful today, Valkyrie. And you're much more fun to be with than any of the other Dead Men. They won't even go snowboarding when I offer."

"You like to snowboard too?" I asked excitedly and he nodded.

"And snowshoe and cross country ski as well. If you're interested I know what we can do the next several days then."

"Very. And there were some other shops in town we could check out too." I added and Anton smiled, then raised an eyebrow at me.

"It's a date, then?" He asked, his question loaded.

"Our fourth. There was the coffee shop, skiing, then here." I said and he grinned openly. Anton took the liberty of ordering for us, since the chef liked to do special things that weren't on the menu that were well worth trying out, he assured me, and he was right, they were.

And when we'd returned, Anton took me into his arms beside the car and smiled down gently at me. "Hug for an old friend?" He whispered. Then he was kissing me, his hands running through my hair, and it was incredibly sweet, soft, and romantic. He let me go with a gentle smile, then saw me inside, going to his room to read.

Ghastly and Skulduggery cornered me in the kitchen while I was still slightly dazed. "Well?" Skulduggery asked.

"Why didn't you tell me he could ski? And snowboard, and eight billion other things?" I asked, then realized I was gushing.

Ghastly grinned. "We've skied on missions, Val. As for the snowboarding, I think the man's a touch suicidal." He shook his head. "But it sounds like the date went well. Please tell me you kissed him."

"I did." I agreed, surprised, and Skulduggery made a pleased sound.

"He had to get past every Dead Man to so much as look at you, Val. He's a good man or I wouldn't have set you up to show you off like that. Sorry." He titled his head in a grin and I hugged him tightly.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Now aren't you pleased we interfered with your love life?" He asked, and I was. I really was.

* * *

**Wheee, Anton got a second vote from a reviewer, so now he's locked in. I'm thinking there's still more to the story, like the assassination attempt one reviewer suggested, so let me know. The Dead Men getting into a snowbound battle with the bad guys is fine by me. I'm thinking Texan, sharp-shooting rifle. Ohh, I know what the next chapter will be! Stay tuned!**


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Billy-Ray or Skulduggery. Thanks goes out to **PierDreams **for the review and to **drew1** for the fave and follow.

* * *

Anton and I were snowshoeing the following day when there was a high whining sound, then a zing. "Get down!" Anton ordered, throwing himself on top of me as a second whining shot came and the snow plumed up in front of us. There was hysterical laughter from the wooded area above us, and Anton took the chance to race for cover, carrying me in his arms. We'd just settled behind some rocks when there was another shot that whined overhead.

Anton dug out his mobile, then calmly told Skulduggery where we were and that we were pinned down by enemy fire.

"Who in God's name is it?" I asked, and Anton shrugged, then we both cringed as we heard a familiar rebel yell.

"Well! Looky what I got here! Two Dead Men trapped and everythin'." A voice with a Texan drawl called down to us. "All alone without your friends, now ain't that somethin'?" I panicked, knowing he wanted revenge, then reminded myself of his one weakness, Billy-Ray Sanguine never shut up.

"Nice to see you again, Billy-Ray!" Anton called out at my gesture. "You alone?"

"Ayup, but I got the rifle and you don't. And I'm outta range of your bitey thing and that Cain girl's shadows, so it looks like we're fixin' to be here a while. Unless you all wanna come out and get shot, that is."

"How about hand-to-hand combat instead?" Anton called.

"That would be a negative, but nice try." Billy-Ray answered cheerfully. He sounded friendly about it and that was the most terrible thing about him. He'd be real friendly right up to the point where he killed you.

"C'mon, Billy-Ray, give us a break?" I called out. No answer. "Speaking of breaks, are you and Tanith on your honeymoon?" Again, no answer.

I exchanged glances with Anton. It wasn't like Billy-Ray to shut up for more than twenty seconds. Of course it could be a new tactic. I took off a snowshoe, put my woolen cap on it and poked it over the top of our rocky shelter to hear a massive boom and watch the end of the snowshoe explode into wooden fragments. "Next time it will be your head, girly." Billy-Ray called down to us from his hidden position.

I looked at Anton who shrugged. We could only sit tight and hope the Dead Men arrived before a bored Billy-Ray thought of circling around us and shooting us from below.

* * *

**Wow, an insane and vengeful hitman deluxe has them pinned down with enough firepower to take out all the Dead Men. Let me know if you want more. Ayup is Northern Maine slang for yes, btw. And Billy-Ray got himself a sniper rifle and a shotgun as well as some other goodies to save you from asking. **


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Billy-Ray or Tanith. A bazillion thanks go out to **CJBrown** for the review, and to **BethShadows** and **The name you will never know** for the follows.

* * *

I felt panic setting in, but if Billy-Ray was talking to me it was a good sign. "Hey, Billy-Ray, why not just keep me? You've got no argument with him."

"Depends." He called down. "You sparkin' with that fellah? 'Cause if you are I choose to keep you instead, provided you get all nice and cozy with me." I winced at the purr in his voice. He continued, sounding almost dreamy. "They got Tanith back you know, the English Sanctuary? So I saw my chance to get even with you. And breakin' up whatever you got goin' sounds like a great revenge 'cause you'll have to live with it, Cain."

"Sounds good to me. I'm only with him because there are no hot young guys up here. But you're smoking hot, and young. And you know I like bad boys. So how do we do this?" I called back, trying to sound like a bad girlfriend looking for a good time, and not daring to look at Anton.

"Well, are you seein' him or not?"

"Yes?" This was met with laughter.

"All you women are alike. Bored with him already, are you?" He paused, then called down to Anton. "You _know_ she'd cheat on you, right? She's got a real problem stayin' faithful, so I'm only speedin' up the inevitable. Now this is how this thing's gonna work. I know you all called the calvary, but I got me some time yet, I reckon. You both stand up real nice and slow. Come on, now, I won't shoot if you do." I looked at Anton whose face was a frightening blank of rage when he looked at me.

We stood up slowly, because as insane as he was, Billy-Ray usually kept to a plan. He was still hidden from view, but he called down again. "OK, then. Little darlin', you are gonna walk towards me, and the big ugly fellah can just stay where he is. Either of you try somethin' funny and you're both dead, comprende?" I nodded and began to walk slowly toward the sound of his voice.

"That's far enough." Billy-Ray called down, now much closer than I'd thought he was. "Put these on." Cuffs landed in the snow. "I'm still outta reach of your shadows, Cain. And without that protective clothin' of yours..." A red dot appeared on my chest, so I knelt down and grabbed the cuffs, snapping them on. I felt my magic drain. Billy-Ray laughed, sounding closer.

"You can walk forward, but you remember, you try and fight me and you're both dead." I figured we were both dead either way, but if I could distract Billy-Ray long enough Anton could either go for help or rescue me. What kind of moron didn't just shoot me anyhow? Making out with me was the dumbest revenge I'd ever heard of. But then, Billy-Ray was never what I'd call bright. I walked into the shadows under the trees, and almost bumped into him. "Well, hello there, little darlin'. Ready to put on a show that boyfriend of yours will never forget?"

"He's not my boyfriend." I purred, then grabbed, Billy-Ray, initiating a searing kiss. _Just keep thinking it's Anton_. I told myself as Billy-Ray started, then gave into the kiss. He gave in so well, his arms wrapped tightly around me, that both of us jumped when he was suddenly ripped backwards and Anton's Gist half slammed him into the nearest tree repeatedly. When he no longer moved to get away, the Gist turned and roared, the flew straight at me, tackling me to the ground and pinning me down. _This is it_, I thought,_ the part where I die_.

* * *

**OK not sure if that worked or was stupid, I had two ideas and went with the Gist instead of one of the other Dead Men. But will the Gist now kill Valkyrie?**


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Gists, Skulduggery, Dexter, Saracen, Billy-Ray, Caelan or Ghastly. Special thanks go out to **CJBrown** for reviewing. And thanks to all the loyal readers who made it this far. Ah, if you haven't read the books, there be spoilers ahead.

* * *

The Gist roared in my face, showing his sharp teeth. I took a big chance, hoping that anything smart enough to fight was smart enough to listen. "Anton, what did you expect me to say? We needed a distraction and it worked. Sorry you had to hear about the bad girlfriend thing that way."

The Gist growled distrustfully. "I mean it, Anton. I was young and stupid, OK? I don't know if I love you, I'll admit that, but I do care about you, I wouldn't lead you on. You want to kill me, go ahead. I'm not going to fight you." The Gist showed me his teeth in response, then it was drug back, howling in surprise. It struggled against Anton, trying to reach me, talons rending the air and I wondered if he wanted to be the one to kill me instead.

The Gist fought the entire way and when it was at last in Anton's eyes rolled back and he crashed to the snow, senseless. I heard the voices of our friends shouting, and soon Skulduggery was lifting me out of the snow while Dexter and Saracen made an emergency stretcher out of Anton's long coat to carry him to safety.

I didn't say a word, I couldn't. The whole ride back and when they carried him into his room, I kept silent. Ghastly had me change, then sat by the fire with me in the common room, plying me with hot tea. "I'm the bad girlfriend all over again, aren't I? Why didn't I try and fight?" I asked, feeling like I wanted to cry.

"What choice did you have, Val?" He asked gently. "You obviously care about Anton or you would have done something risky. But you knew with the cuffs on you could fail. Unless, of course, you really enjoyed that kiss." He teased.

"He had his tongue in my mouth. In my_ mouth_, Ghastly!" I complained, and Saracen, joining us, barked laughter.

"Anton's asking for you, Val. Go on then." He smiled gently. I went up to Anton's room, expecting a lecture. He was in bed, Skulduggery seated nearby, keeping him company. I wanted to turn and flee, but Anton beckoned me to him. Skulduggery left us, closing the door softly behind him.

"How are you?" I asked, not daring to take Anton's hand, although I wanted to.

"I'll live. Billy-Ray will be a guest of the English Sanctuary, they designed a cell just for him. And I knew, Val. About you and Caelan. But I had to be ready to fight, that's how the Gist works. I don't judge you, but I do ask you don't kiss any other men like that, ever again." He smiled gently and I felt relief flood through me as he continued.

"I should be fine in a few hours, and if you are still interested, they are the shops in town you mentioned. I've had enough excitement and of the outdoors for a while." I smiled then leaned in, kissing him chastely. When I was at the door, he stopped me. "Val? You're the first person to realize a Gist's controller can be reasoned with through it. I'd rather you didn't spread the word." I smiled and nodded, still wondering if Anton had spared me, or the Gist.

* * *

**Well, all's well that ends well, or something like that. Valkyrie didn't get bitted to death, but she didn't hear Anton say he loves her, either. And she didn't say she loves him. Oh, dear.**


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: I don't own Anton, Valkyrie or Billy-Ray. And that's the way it should be. Many thanks go out to **CJBrown** for the review.

* * *

After dinner Anton sat with me before the fireplace, keeping a polite distance between us on the couch. It was as if our kiss of the day before had never happened. He stared into the fire and I felt a breaking up speech coming on. _Do something, stupid. Before you loose your one chance with him. _I told myself, then dared to scoot over, even though I was right at his side and distinctly remembering his Gist.

Anton looked shocked, then pleased, and put an arm on my shoulders, drawing me into his warmth. "I thought I'd lost you today. For a moment I believed everything you told Billy-Ray." He said softly.

"I know. But I figured you were better off alone than dead. Doesn't seem like your Gist agreed with me, of course." I said lightly. "But it, well, he, never planned to kill me, did he? He was furious, but he had his chance."

"That Gist is all my hate, evil and anger personified, but you're right. Even that part of me couldn't kill you. Not for choosing a younger, more attractive man."

"Choose him? Please, your Gist probably kisses better. That kiss was nasty." I said and Anton laughed softly in response.

"I'm sorry if the Gist frightened you, Valkyrie. But he took what he saw as a betrayal personally. I think it should be obvious then how I feel for you, that I love you." He said, looking at me as he stroked my hair tenderly. "I know you don't feel the same way, at least not yet, but I'm a patient man. And you're the first woman not to run screaming from me."

"Liar." I said gently. "But let's let the past remain in the past. I have a jealous streak a mile wide, but I guess you know that already. And the only reason I'm having trouble saying how I feel is that the last time I said it, I didn't mean it. I don't want the past repeating itself."

Anton's gaze went tender. "And how do you feel? You don't ever have to be afraid to speak the truth, not with me." He said softly.

"I love you." I admitted. "But, Anton, I'm the bad girlfriend, I don't trust myself-" He interrupted me with a lingering kiss.

"I do. We let the past stay in the past, Valkyrie. This is a new chance for both of us. I'm not an angel, and I won't lie and say I regret my past, but I do love you and I'll be loyal. As long as you'll have me, Gist included." His eyes danced with amusement.

"Well, provided the Gist really does kiss better than Billy-Ray, it's a deal." I teased and as Anton drew me into another lingering kiss I thought we might just have a chance.

* * *

**Yeah, a bit differently than I usually do this pair, but I like the slower progression.**


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Ghastly, Skulduggery or Erskine. Thanks go out to **CJBrown **for reviewing.

* * *

I woke up the next morning to find a dove grey knit dress with a demure scoop top in my room and a note from Ghastly telling me to wear it and the matching shoes with a slight heel. I did and couldn't believe myself in the mirror. _When did I grow up_? I wondered, admiring myself in the floor length mirror.

The dress was long-sleeved and hugged my curves, stopping right above my knees and I couldn't resist turning and admiring myself. I added perfume as well, feeling slightly giddy. With hot guys it didn't really matter to me. There was no pressure because hot guys were usually shallow and only cared about themselves. But I wanted to impress Anton. I debated adding jewelery, but doubted Skulduggery had packed me any.

But when I looked through my bag, I found he'd packed a jewelry bag. I was debating my choices when there was a knock, then Ghastly entered. "So you like the dress?" He asked as I tackled him in a hug of thanks.

"Yes! Thanks you so much-"

"Dad would be nice, if you don't mind." He cut in, smiling kindly at me. "Now let's see if your other father packed you any pretty sparklies to match." I was floored. I'd suspected Ghastly, but never Skulduggery.

"He never said a word, Dad." I said faintly and Ghastly shrugged as he picked through my jewelery.

"He wouldn't. But he'd like you to know all the same." Ghastly said, then turned and slipped a simple gold herringbone necklace on me. "There, just enough. Very stylish. Now go charm Anton, he's waiting to take you to breakfast."

I stopped at the top of the stairs, admiring Anton as he stood below, gazing up at me. He was wearing a charcoal grey suit that accentuated his height and strong build, and I wondered how I hadn't noticed him before. Anton had long black hair that hung to his shoulders, and a narrow, handsome face with an aquiline nose and a firm mouth. But it was his captivating grey eyes that held my attention. Shot through with silver, they seemed to light up when he saw me and the effect was mesmerizing.

"You look amazing, Valkyrie." Anton said, catching me in a chaste kiss, which deepened as his arms wrapped around me. I was having a lot of fun returning that kiss with interest when a male voice cleared itself and I found Erskine staring at us with his arms folded. "That _is_ my sister you're manhandling." He said, flashing Anton an annoyed look.

Anton just smiled serenely at Erskine in reply and escorted me to the car. "Breakfast?" He purred, wrapping his arms around me.

"Mm, yes, please. And you look very handsome today, Anton. I'm sorry I never noticed you before." I admitted.

"You noticed now and that's all that matters. Now let's get some breakfast and make a day of it in the shops. And if you're a very good girl, who knows what will happen." He flashed me a sexy smile then opened my door for me, laughing. I could still smell the heady scent of his spicy cologne and good suit on me and didn't think I'd feel like being a good girl at all.

* * *

**Rowr. Anton, you devil, you. Go get her, Tiger. I might have taken liberties with Anton's appearance, but a girl can dream, can't she?**


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie or Anton. Slight steaminess ahead, be forewarned. Oh, I don't have the rights to Tom Jones either. Enjoy!

* * *

We were just getting seated at a window table, Anton getting settled after getting my seat for me when an old Tom Jones song came on. Anton looked up towards the speakers, a smile on his face. "You know it?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's kind of sexy. Uh, I mean it's good sexy, not sexy, sexy like you are. Oh, my God, I'm so sorry, Anton. I didn't mean to say that. You must think I'm an idiot." I said, covering my mouth and blushing. And when he smiled I just blushed more.

"Nice to know I'm sexy, Val." He said, grinning hugely and I wanted to die. Anton's face softened. "I don't think I've ever heard that from a woman before, so thank you." I looked at him. He was serious.

"Uh, you're welcome. And seriously?"

Seriously." We ordered and I wondered about his past. When Anton had said he wasn't an angel I'd assumed the same thing most people would. And looking at him over breakfast, I assumed it even more. _How could any woman not want him? _I wondered, then flushed when I caught his amused glance.

"So, I was thinking we hit the antiques shop next door first. You seem to have an eye for things you like." He teased. "What do you think of a leather sofa for the Midnight Hotel?" He asked, feigning innocence, but his smile was devilish.

"I think you're a wicked man, Anton Shudder." I said, then blushed. What was it about him? Hot guys made me drool and chase them, but I was putty in Anton's hands, and I didn't much care. No, I cared, I cared a lot. He was teasing me and I liked it.

* * *

In the antiques shop Anton watched me try and not notice all the paintings of mythological goat men chasing nubile young nymphs. I couldn't help but notice how delighted the women looked, like they couldn't wait to get caught. I noticed Anton watching me and tried an affronted glare on him, and he just laughed.

As we were going to the next shop, an art gallery, Anton put a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Enough teasing for now. I'm just happy you find me attractive. Ten times out of ten the Gist is a deal breaker. It's wonderful having someone who's both attracted to me and loves me. No hard feelings?" He asked, bundling me in close and smiling gently at me.

"None. It's just different with you, Anton. I guess because I do love you. God, I do, don't I? I really do." I said, settling into his comforting embrace.

"You do, and I love you as well, Valkyrie Cain. And I'm going to pursue you for the remainder of the two weeks. To the point where you're dreams are filled with me and you can't imagine being anywhere other than with me. And when I know you're completely mine, I'm taking you away with me." Anton initiated a searing kiss then and I felt my knees buckle. I nearly swooned as we parted and I knew I was already his.

* * *

**I think I just set women's rights back by two centuries or so, but that was kinda hot. Let me know if you want more spice, adventure, whatever. Bonus points if you can guess the Tom Jones song I referenced, lol! **


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Dex, Billy-Ray, Ghastly or Erskine. Thanks go out to **CJBrown **for reviewing. This chapter will mainly lay down the ground rules for Anton's Gist, and give the characters a brief interlude, but it needs to be here, trust me. Uh, any backstory for Anton or details like his fondness for sweets were invented, obviously.

* * *

Anton behaved like an angel the rest of the day. We browsed the shops, had lunch, then hit a sweet shop. Anton inclined his head, studying the display case. "You know, I have a massive sweet tooth. I really shouldn't, and I shouldn't tempt you but-" He held out a hand towards the display in an inviting gesture.

"Um, espressos and a small biscotti then? Not too indulgent." I asked and he nodded, though Anton's idea of biscotti was five large ones a piece, and somehow espresso transformed into caramel lattes with whipped cream and chocolate shavings when he ordered, but as we sat at one of the small tables I was amused.

"You certainly know how to live." I said, but gladly accepted the chocolate, mint chocolate and other Italian baked goods he plied me with. Anton smiled, pleased at my comment.

"I've never heard a woman say that, either. And to break my own rule, there are no mysterious women in my past or children for you to be haunted by. I wasn't kidding when I said I'd frightened all the others away. I terrify most people." He shrugged. "Of course, I _like_ frightening some people, they deserve it," He smiled at I knew he meant people frightened by his Gist.

"They do at that." I agreed. "Though maybe you being an international man of mystery has something to do with it. I'd swear you have a license to kill." He smiled in a way that hinted that maybe he had one tucked away somewhere, and it wouldn't have surprised me. Gist aside, Anton Shudder fought more like an assassin or secret agent. He was lighting quick, precise and utterly silent as he fought.

"You know, the other day, you could have beat Billy-Ray into a pulp yourself. But our ally showed up just in time."

"Our ally, as I said, is quite sweet on you. So long as you can welcome further appearances I think I can convince him you really aren't into him giving you love bites." I blushed as I'm sure he knew I would. "But you can trust him, Val. As much as you can trust me. We'd both die for you. Consider it like getting Jekyll and Hyde as your constant companions."

"If Jekyll and Hyde were both aware at once?" I asked carefully and he nodded. "I'd wondered about that, and no, it doesn't scare me, it makes me feel safer, if anything. Random change of topic, but we should pick up take away to take back and appease Erskine and the others."

"True, they didn't think you'd really go for me, I think, and I don't blame them. They assumed I'd either bore you to death since I'm the quiet one, or my age, which shall remain a mystery, would frighten you away. Speak of the devil." He said, annoyed, and I looked out the shop window to see Dex and Erskine waving at us.

They came in and sat down with us. "Fancy meeting you two here, after we looked all over town. Ghastly will be doing steaks and other goodies on the outdoor grill, Val, and you know he needs your help." Dex said sweetly. It was the most blatant case of chaperoning I'd ever seen, especially when my moronic brothers who had walked the whole way had to cram into the compact with us, but rather sweet all the same.

* * *

**Next up: Will sparks ignite as the pair gather kindling? Stray tuned to find out. Man, Stan Lee would so be proud of me.**


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Saracen, Dexter or Ghastly. Thanks go out to **CJBrown** for the review. And I don't advocate trying to snog the face off a Gist, should you happen to meet one. But this is fanfic, not commonsense. The delicate reader may want to turn back now.

* * *

We were back and gathering kindling when it happened. Anton took my bundle and his own and put them in the crook of a tree, then faced me. I knew what was coming, so I wasn't surprised when his eyes closed and the Gist emerged. Somehow, knowing it was part of him made it not so scary. It blinked its black eyes at me and drifted closer, showing its sharp teeth in its best attempt at a smile.

_His_. I reminded myself. _Him, this is Anton, not a thing or an it_. I smiled back and my heart started to pound when he drifted closer still. "Hello, Anton." I managed and he made a pleased sound, like a raspy purr. "You look very handsome today, I like you with longer hair."

The Gist seemed flattered, but he didn't dare touch me, even if his taloned hands came up to ghost around my face. "It's OK if you kiss me, you know." I said, then instantly regretted it as his face lit up and he took me in his arms. The Gist pressed his lips to mine and I hoped his eyes were closed as I winced slightly, then I realized he kissed a lot like Anton, only better and gentler if it were possible, as if he were well aware he could hurt me.

I returned the kiss, running my hands through his shaggy black hair, earning a pleased murmur. The Gist deepened the kiss, his arms tightening slightly and I indulged him, feeling lightning explode through me as I matched and tried to surpass his enthusiasm. He walked me backwards to pin me against a tree, not breaking the kiss and growled slightly as I grabbed his tie to pull him closer. The Gist rewarded me, trailing heated kisses down my neck as his taloned hands roved. I gasped and he pulled back, looking concerned.

"Easy, it isn't like this is the only time we have. Just slow down a little, OK? I care about you Anton, I want to see you again, you know." The Gist grinned hugely at me, then closed his eyes and allowed himself to be reeled back in.

Anton looked bemused. "I have an inner Gist and you have an inner minx. You sure don't kiss _me_ like that." He teased.

"I didn't know you wanted kissed like that." I said, still breathless, then we both sighed as we heard Saracen and Dex approaching.

"Those two have rotten timing." Anton grumbled, handing me my bundle of twigs.

"That they have." I agreed as we went to join them.

* * *

Ghastly looked at me, vastly amused as I helped him stack the kindling.

"Been starting fires already, have we?" He asked with a grin. "You've got leaves in your hair." He picked one out and I batted at his hands, blushing.

"And you aren't mad or disappointed?"

"In you? Never, so long as you know about protection it's all good." I stared at him in shock and he shrugged. "This might be a lifetime thing and it might not be. But either way you protect yourself unless you want to hear the pitter-patter of little Gist feet." I had nothing to say to that.

Nothing at all.

* * *

**I'm not sure if Ghastly is the best father figure in history or the worst. He's a realist at any rate, I'll give him that. But it really helps if you let me know what direction you'd like to see the story go in. More spice, less, etc. I'm still not sure of the whole Gist thing is really hot or profoundly disturbing myself. **


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton or Ghastly. A billion thanks to** CJBrown** for reviewing! Uh, mild lime alert.

* * *

The remaining time of our vacation passed in a romantic haze, and I don't think it surprised anyone when Ghastly dropped us both off at the Midnight Hotel. I was exhilarated and terrified. There would be no chaperones now, no excuse to back off except if I wasn't ready, and when Anton showed me to my room I realized he could be a pathological liar and have done this a hundred times before with a hundred different women.

Anton stood to one side to let me enter, then followed, carrying my bag. I couldn't look anywhere but at the bed, and when he gently touched my shoulder, I jumped. "Easy, Val. This room is your private oasis. The hotel is self-cleaning so you won't see me in here again unless you want to. I'll leave you to get settled. I'll be at my desk if you need me." He said gently.

He left, and I let him, a little too shocked to move. When I could at move, I explored, finding a flat screen TV on one wall above a snug fireplace, a leather chair and small table, and a rather handsome dresser with an elaborate mirror. Only a fool wouldn't know he'd built this room for me. I went and sat on the large bed, admiring the room's soothing mix of blues, whites and greys, with accents of brown and black.

Once I'd collected myself I realized I had to face Anton sometime. He'd been a gentleman and with the Midnight Hotel not moving for two days, I knew I was free to go home. And I knew he hadn't just brought me here to sleep with me, he'd had his chances at the lodge and never taken them.

I found him in his office and he smiled at my approach. "Everything is to your satisfaction?" He asked and I nodded.

"Yes, thank you. I do want you to know I trust you, Anton. It's just that-" I shrugged.

"I know. I've never done anything like this before either, I assure you. So we play it by ear, shall we? You stay as long as you like and we'll see how things go between us. We can start over if you like. I don't mind. I know you're frightened, Val, but I'm terrified." His smile was gentle and I went to him, clinging tightly as he held me in his arms.

Anton met me in a kiss, stroking my hair reassuringly as I willingly deepened the kiss. I knew we were playing with fire as I snaked my hands inside his suit jacket, but I didn't really care. Anton shivered, then shrugged out of the jacket obligingly, then started to tease down the zipper of my own jacket, smiling at me playfully. I slipped it off, then met him in a tight embrace, feeling my heart jackhammer as I grabbed his tie, pulling him closer.

He slipped it off, then batted my hands away as I fumbled with his shirt buttons. "Allow me." He purred, undoing the first several buttons, then putting his hands at my waist to play with the edge of my tunic while I explored his neck, nipping playfully. His hands slithered up underneath my tunic, the sudden sensation of heat on my skin making me jump, then he was pulling away, grinning. "Enough of that, for now. We'd better get a grocery run in before our guests arrive later."

I agreed, wondering how I'd just become an employee, and how I'd never noticed the attached garage. "Larger louts burnt out all my other cars, easier to carry one." He said, getting the door of the grey compact for me. "I do appreciate you being here, Val. Never thought I'd have a staff or that said staff would be so sexy." He teased and I blushed bright red.

* * *

**Poor Val, is she now going to have staff duties? Well, she needs something to do besides let Anton chase her all over the Midnight Hotel. Oh, god, now I can't get that image out of my head.**


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Skulduggery, Ghastly or Tanith. A bazillion thanks go out to **CJBrown **and **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for the reviews, and **Justrockzyxxx** for the review and fave. Lime alert for this chapter as well.

* * *

We'd returned from our grocery run, and were back in Anton's office, on the leather sofa, picking up where we'd left off. But only after I'd assured Anton I loved him. "I do love you, Anton. You know that. Now you sit back." I said gently as I straddled his lap. Butterflies were dancing in my stomach and I realized as I worked on his shirt buttons how madly in love I really was. As I got each button undone I placed a teasing kiss on the exposed skin, enjoying the contented sighs coming from Anton. At last I had it open and could touch his silky flesh, making Anton whimper slightly.

"You're lucky I love you, woman. You're enjoying this way too much." He said, through gritted teeth.

"Mm. You were right about superior genetics, Anton. You're built like a god. Want me to worship you?" I teased as he sat up to shrug out of his shirt.

"Only if I get to worship you in return. I revere you." He said warmly, snaking his hands up under my tunic and drawing me into a heated kiss. I gave into the kiss, my hands roaming, learning the feel of each toned and tight muscle of his chest. Which was hard to concentrate on as his long fingers were tracing patterns in my skin.

There was a chiming tone just as the backs of his hands had grazed my bra and Anton sat forward so abruptly that I yelped and fell off of his lap. "Sorry, Val. That would be our guests." He said, clearly amused as he helped me up then put his shirt back on and buttoned it. "You can scoot around me and go to the kitchen to make coffee for all of us if you like. I'll weather the storm manfully."

I wondered what he meant and almost died of embarrassment when I saw Skulduggery and Ghastly were checking in. I made the kitchen in record time. It was bad enough they knew what we'd been up to, but now they were guests? My hands were shaking as I made the coffee, but I managed it, and put water on for tea as well.

By the time I met the men in the common room I felt OK. Skulduggery tilted his head at me curiously, but said nothing. Ghastly smiled awkwardly, and only Anton seemed to be able to speak. "So, as long as I was seeing Valkyrie in Erskine's lodge, you approved?" He sounded amused, and it broke the ice.

"Sorry." Skulduggery said cheerfully. "You're quite right, Anton. But you're usually right at the front desk. One could almost say you were distracted." He teased.

"One could." Anton agreed, then turned to me. "We'll be moving earlier than expected. Miss Low is well enough to speak and demanding Ghastly's presence, so we'll be leaving for England at midnight." I gave a happy shriek then covered my mouth.

"She's OK? Really, Oh my God, really, Dad?" I asked Ghastly as we caught each other in a happy hug.

"That she is, so let's celebrate. I took the chance that you two hadn't seen to lunch yet, and could use a hand with the take away." I followed him out to his van and he smiled gently at me. "I'm proud of you, Val, you fell in love with Anton and did something about it. I couldn't be happier to see you two together, I mean it. And yes, we are guests just to soften the edges for you two. It's too much pressure sometimes to just be thrown together and we want to see you two together for a very long time." I caught him in a happy hug, glad I had a family of men who were so understanding about things, and I knew he was right. The pressure was off both of us now and we could enjoy the rest of our courtship at our own pace.

* * *

**Aw, that started off spicy and ended with a warm, cuddly moment. I may cool things down a tad next chapter, just to cover some domestic details. We shall see. **


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Skulduggery, Ghastly, Tanith, Dex or Saracen. Special thanks as always go out to **CJBrown** for reviewing. I just took a wild stab at Anton's age as he could be any, really. Wow, look at me, talking about fictional characters like they're real. Crazy much? Mild cuss alert, for you sensitive readers.

* * *

Anton and I had accompanied Ghastly and Skulduggery to the English Sanctuary. And as my two adopted fathers walked on ahead of us to Tanith's room, an older mage with a long white beard and crimson robe stopped Anton with a friendly smile. "Good to see you again, Anton. Ah, to be your age again. The seven hundreds are so peaceful, and you start to settle down and think of a family. Those were the days." He went on but I just heard their voices as a dull buzz.

Seven hundreds? As in seven centuries old? I'd been in the advanced stages of making out and was thinking of sleeping with a man seven hundred years old? I processed all of this quickly as we continued walking arm in arm toward Tanith's room. But I knew Anton well enough by now to know he was hurt and had felt my silent reaction. I looked at him, but he was staring straight ahead, his face hard like granite. "I love you, Anton. It doesn't matter." I said stopping and he looked at me doubtfully. "Come here." I lopped my arms around his waist. "I love you, Anton Shudder, and only you. If anything, it's kind of a turn on." I said and he smiled.

"You're a very strange young woman, Valkyrie Cain." He said, bundling me into him. "Don't you ever dare leave me."

"Never. Even if your Gist takes over. Promise." I said and he laughed.

"You'd probably like it if he took over." He teased. "He'd chase you around the hotel all day."

"Anton!" I responded, blushing, as we entered Tanith's room. She looked amused to see us together, and happily accepted a sisterly hug.

"Hey. Sis!" She said happily. "What is it about the women and our family and older men?" She teased and we both giggled. Ghastly blushed and looked at the floor. "He should blush, just thirty seconds ago he told me he wanted to-" I put my hand on Tanith's mouth.

"You need a profanity filter, Sis." I said fondly.

Tanith grinned wickedly. "You are such a prude, you cow." We both laughed.

"At least I don't dress like a renfair slut." I said and Tanith shrieked laughter, then hit me with her pillow. All three men were gazing at us, horrified, and we just smiled at them sweetly. I spent some time with her, catching up, then Anton and I returned to the hotel, leaving Skulduggery and Ghastly to visit.

Anton looked at me as we entered the Midnight Hotel. "You're a complex woman, Valkyrie Cain. I don't frighten you and I terrify most people. My Gist doesn't frighten you either. And now you're accepting my age. Are you quite sure you're real?" He asked, taking me gently into his arms.

"I've wondered the same thing about you, Anton. I never thought I'd meet a man I could fall in love with to be honest. I thought I'd be as vapid and shallow as Dex and Saracen for life. But I can't imagine even looking at another man, now or ever." The smile and kiss Anton rewarded me with were the sweetest he'd ever given me, and for the longest time we just held each other and I knew I was home.

* * *

**There is still more to come. And Anton's age seemed real romantical at the time I was writing this. For reals. Like Highlander romantical.**


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Skulduggery, Ghastly or Tanith. Special thanks go out to **CIBrown **and **IrishDemigodVald** for reviewing. And many thanks to my readers for giving this story over one thousand views in the first five days.

* * *

Our courtship began anew when we returned from the Sanctuary. Anton knew he'd won me now, so we had time to wait. As we parted he smiled at me gently. "This changes everything, Valkyrie. Now that I know you've chosen me, we have all the time in the world ahead of us. So we wait. But, in the meantime," he paused, taking a ring box out of his pocket. "Will you marry me?" He asked opening it.

I nodded, unable to speak as I stared at the ring. It had to be magical as it was comprised of two glowing bands, one dark, one light and I knew as he slipped it on my finger that I was accepting two proposals. "Yes, Anton, I'll marry you. I love you so much." I said and his smile grew as he took me into his arms to kiss me tenderly.

"I will prove to be an utterly devoted husband, Valkyrie." He said gently, and I caught the searching look in his eyes. I nodded, knowing what had to happen, and he stepped back, and his Gist began to emerge. He locked his black eyes on me and made his raspy purring sound in pleased greeting.

I pulled him into my arms, into a searing kiss, determined to show him he had my utter devotion. And when we parted I could read all the things he wanted to say. Mainly I saw the regret on his face for attacking me. "Sweetheart, you love me. You'd thought I'd betrayed you. Yet, you didn't kill me. I've never heard of a Gist showing love or mercy before, but you showed me how much you adored me, in your own way of course." I said lightly and he smiled serenely in reply.

All too soon Anton reeled him in and opened his eyes. "That went a lot better than I expected, to be honest." He admitted. "And before you ask, I've no idea why it doesn't drain me when he comes out to court you. Maybe because it is the inverse of what my magic was meant for. I feel stronger now, to be honest." He gave me a wolfish grin and I yelped obligingly. He chuckled, then pulled me to him, kissing me gently. I returned the kiss, but we were interrupted by the front door slamming.

Anton cursed, but then we both were startled to see Skulduggery come in. Alone. "Dad, what's the matter?" I asked, feeling I already knew.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but we need to leave. Now, please." Anton nodded, and was gone swiftly. I felt the hotel shake ever so slightly, then looked out the window to a different view. "Can we never go back to England, ever again, or any other country they are in?" He asked, and I knew he was heartbroken.

"She came on to you, didn't she?" I asked, bundling him into me and he nodded miserably. That's when I knew dad and I had both grown up. He was a ladies' man, and had anyone but Tanith come on to him, he might have accepted. Anton returned and suggested the three of us go to lunch.

"You're the newest employee, Skulduggery, so you can buy." He said, then bundled dad into a tight hug. Dad tilted his head in a grin as they parted but we could both see his relieved smile. "And as we're in Ireland so you can collect the Bentley and anything else you need. You as well, Valkyrie." Anton said turning to me.

I nodded, then we were off.

* * *

**Poor Skulduggery. He can get into trouble without even trying.**


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Saracen, Dexter, Ghastly or Tanith. Special thanks go out to **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan **and **CJBrown **for reviewing.

* * *

It didn't take long to load the Bentley with the things dad wanted, or pick me up some clothes then return the Bentley to the hotel and park it in the garage. Anton, who had followed us in our car, decided a pizza place would be best and I agreed. "Don't look so sad, Skulduggery." He said cheerfully. "We're Dead Men, we're used to leaving town in a hurry. Though usually it's Saracen's or Dexter's fault."

Dad seemed to recover by the time Anton and I were eating pizza and drinking Cokes. "This is all rather exciting, isn't it, Valkyrie?" He asked cheerfully. I have a new employer, a new home and I'm off on a grand adventure, all in one day."

"That you are." Erskine agreed as he joined us. He held up a hand. "I already know. Ghastly wants your skull for a bowling ball right now. So I've come to offer a no frills wedding at the Sanctuary, then you three can be off before his jet lands, and no telling me where you're going."

So, after a hurried lunch we were wed in his office. It was official and in no way romantic, but I didn't regret it for a second.

* * *

Anton scooped me up and carried me over the threshold of the Midnight Hotel, then set me down gently. "Welcome home, Mrs. Shudder." He said gently. I smiled and we kissed softly, only parting when dad joined us with a small box.

"Snagged you a wedding cake in the bakery next door when you two were ordering pizza. It was the least I could do, considering." He said, and I helped him get plates as Anton saw to our new destination. The hotel shook slightly and dad and I exchanged relieved smiles. Anton rejoined us and dad watched happily as we cut the small cake and tenderly fed one another.

"Thanks, Dad." I said, drawing him into a tight hug. He smiled, then whisked away a portion of the cake to the freezer to await our one year anniversary.

* * *

Anton led me down the hall behind his office, and instead of opening my room, opened his. "You're new kingdom, my lady." He said gently, stepping back to let me go inside. I looked around in awe. "You like it?" He asked, joining me. I nodded, taking the luxury in. It wasn't overly opulent, but it surpassed the Army barracks I'd always envisioned him living in.

In a lot of ways it matched the colour scheme of my own room, and the furnishings and design were just as costly. There was also a kitchen area, a living room area, and the attached bath had a hot tub. Tour completed, Anton clasped me to him. "Yours forever if you want it, and want me too of course."

"I do." I said, then we both laughed softly. "I love you, Anton. You showed me I was worthy of your love, and you don't try to control me. And you take in Dead Men on the run." I teased and he chuckled.

"Knowing your father he was behaving for once. He won't poach amongst the Dead Men, none of us will, that's the rule. But we've all had to flee town at one time or another, leaving one of our own spitting tacks after his lover came on to another one of us." He smiled fondly at the memory and I wondered what other adventures life had in store for us.

* * *

**Well, the gang got the heck out of Dodge and they're on their way to a new adventure. Let's just hope they don't meet up with Ghastly or Tanith for the next century or so.**


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Skulduggery, Ghastly, Tanith or Billy-Ray.

* * *

I awoke the next morning, snuggled in Anton's strong arms. "Morning, handsome." I purred as he opened his captivating grey eyes to look at me sleepily. "I'll make us coffee. You stay in bed." I offered, pushing his long black hair back and capturing his lips in a gentle kiss. Anton rolled over, putting me beneath him.

"Oh no, my dear. I make the coffee and breakfast. We'll trade every so often, but I like having someone to care for. All right?" I nodded happily, well aware I was grinning up at him stupidly. Anton had tamed me, and I wasn't sure when or where it had happened, but I was happier because of it. There was a knock at our door and Anton answered.

Dad entered, carrying a sack of take away and Styrofoam cups of coffee. "For the newlyweds." He said, then carried the bags and drinks to the table. He tipped his hat to us as he left and I looked at Anton, amused.

I put on my robe and joined Anton at the table, and the next few days had the same lazy rhythm. Then there were guests to pick up, and we all settled into our roles in the Midnight Hotel. Dad proved good with handling guests, and soon was manning the front desk. And with three of the legendary Dead Men in residence our guests behaved quite well.

* * *

I'd turned my mobile back on after nearly a month, and wasn't surprised when Ghastly rang me as I returned books to the common room library. "I understand I missed your wedding. Oh, sweetheart, I wanted to be there so badly. And to make your dress."

"I know, Dad. I wanted you there. But I was getting out of Dodge at the time. Besides, aren't you getting married yourself soon?" I asked.

"You're kidding, right? I was angry with Skulduggery because he is the man she came on to. I jetted back to Ireland after I told Tanith it was over. Though I did tell her Billy-Ray was currently avaliable so she didn't take it too badly." He sighed. "I don't suppose you have any open positions at the Midnight Hotel?" He asked.

I shrugged, then realized he couldn't see me. "Hold on, I'll get the front desk for you." I said, then went out to find Anton at the front desk with Skulduggery. I mouthed 'Ghastly' then held out the mobile between them.

Skulduggery took it, murmured a greeting then listened, he shrugged as well, then handed my mobile to Anton. We went into the common room and dad looked at me. "Well, if Anton needs the staff there will be another Dead Man in residence. I suppose we'll have to do something dreadful now, like actually feed our guests." He said, tilting his head in a smile.

I hugged him tightly. "More than likely. Anton married into the Dead Men for cheap labor." I said and heard his snort of contempt from the doorway.

"Who said anything about paying any of you three? Oh, and do add Miss Low to the list Billy-Ray is on on people who are not welcome in the Midnight Hotel." He said, and at his smile I realized the staff would be growing again.

* * *

**Aww, I couldn't let the Dead Men stay apart for long. And I'm not anti-Tanith, I adore her to bits. I just see her having trouble staying faithful. She's not bad, but she's not about to settle down either, methinks.**


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton or Ghastly. I blame this chapter entirely on Skulpedia and Derek Landy. Thanks go out as always to **CJBrown** for the review and **Night Time Story Lover** for the fave. Mild language and violence alert for this chapter.

* * *

It wasn't long after we'd picked up Ghastly that the Midnight Hotel broke down. It of course had to break down at midnight and leave us stranded next to an abandoned graveyard. I told myself that a graveyard out in the middle of nowhere by a ghost town that not even tourists bothered with would be a peaceful place. The kind of place to go admire in the moonlight.

Ghastly, beside me at the window put a hand on my shoulder before I could venture outside. "Val, we're Dead Men. We don't go into graveyards because there's always something nasty waiting for us." I laughed and shook off his hand.

"Dad, you watch way too many horror movies. The only things out there besides tombstones and dirt are maybe piles of dust." I got my protective jacket anyhow as I went outside. They'd told me about such things before, and in the world of magic, they were right. But this was a mortal graveyard and the occupants had long gone to dust.

I wandered inside the cemetery gates, then walked among the tombstones realizing too late that an illusion had been in place and that the gate and fence were actually brand new and the graveyard immaculately maintained. I turned to run back out and the gate clanged shut. With a groan the fence rose higher and higher out of the ground and I could feel my powers dampen.

I could hear the shouts of Ghastly and Skulduggery as they ran towards me. "Don't try and get in!" I warned, "it's a trap, my powers are gone!" Then I screamed in panic as first one grave burst open then another. The dead here weren't dust, they were god-awful rotting corpses worse than any zombie I'd ever seen before. Then the stench of decay reached me and I gagged.

"Valkyrie." Anton said, thrusting a pump action shotgun through the bars. "There's only eight graves. Aim for the head and we'll back you up." I nodded, not even wondering how the person who built the trap hadn't thought of preventing someone from passing a weapon through the bars, and opened fire on the lead zombie.

His head exploded in a disgusting spray of rotted flesh and he fell forward to rise no more. But a female zombie in a tattered dress was sprinting toward me, shrieking, and I barely got her in time, screeching as the pus and gore from her exploding head covered me.

There was a curse beside me and I realized none of the other Dead Men could fire into the graveyard. So I calmly kept backing up around the cemetery, shoulder to the fence as I repeatedly pumped and fired. When the last zombie hit the ground the cemetery returned to normal, the gate swinging open, the corpses vanishing. Ghastly came in, whacking me in the back of the head. "Ow!" I whined.

"What did I tell you!" He demanded angrily. He grabbed me and marched me outside. Skulduggery just looked at me calmly and Anton looked bemused.

"Did we have fun, sweetie?" Anton asked sweetly and I knew he was actually beyond pissed with me. I blushed red in shame. "Will we ever wander into a graveyard ever again?" He went on in the same voice and I shook my head no. Because even with the magazine tube extension the shotgun had only held eight shells and one miss would have sent me into a panic that would have cost me my life.

* * *

**My, that was rather grim, now wasn't it? But we needed the violence, did us good. **


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton or Skulduggery. Many thanks go out to **Justrockzyxxx **and **CJBrown** for reviewing.

* * *

Once back inside the hotel I made myself scarce. All three men were masters of dressing me down for doing stupid things, and I felt I'd had punishment enough. _No, I had an adventure._ I told myself as I went to make coffee. Two strong arms wrapped around me as I worked and I went stock-still, expecting a lecture, then the Gist's head bumped mine in an affectionate nuzzle and I sighed in relief.

"I knew you would understand." I said and he made his purring sound. "All of you have had your adventures. What have I ever done with my life, Anton?" The Gist looked at me sternly. "Sorry, sweetheart, but you know what I mean." He allowed himself to be reeled back in without so much as a kiss and Anton opened his eyes to look hard at me.

So I slunk out to the common room, wondering if there was a place to hide Anton didn't know about. Skulduggery was there. "You don't have to lecture me, I know." I said. He sighed.

"We remember being your age, Valkyrie. Life was a grand adventure. But you're not allowed to relive our mistakes."

"I get to make new ones?" I tried and I swore his eye sockets narrowed.

"No, you don't get to make any." He said irritably, and so I went down to my old room to hide. I hadn't meant to get into so much trouble, I'd just been bored. There was a gentle knock, then Anton entered, carrying my abandoned coffee.

"Trust you to find the one graveyard Necromancers have been fiddling with. It must have been calling to you. Valkyrie, come out. We need a fresh body." He teased as he set my coffee down. Anton smiled to show he was no longer angry, then cuddled me into him. "You scared several centuries off me tonight. I thought I'd lost you."

"I thought you did too. But I wasn't giving up until the shotgun was empty. Is it bad to think that was fun?"

"No, of course not. But this is a rare case where I contacted the local Sanctuary so they can dismantle that graveyard once and for all. I hate to think what would have happened had mortals wandered inside." I giggled. Anton hated mortals with a passion. Come to think of it, he hated _most_ people with a passion.

"Zombie apocalypse?" I offered, then looked at him beguilingly. "You know, Anton, this is still my room, and I don't think I've ever invited you in here before." I purred.

"No you did not." He agreed. And when I _did_ invite him his glance became tender and we didn't leave until morning.

* * *

**Yeah, Val, way to get out of trouble.**


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: I don't own Anton, Valkyrie, Ghastly, Tanith, Billy-Ray, Erskine or Skulduggery. Thanks go out to **CJBrown** and **Justrockzyxxx** for reviewing.

* * *

In the morning I felt contrite as Anton kissed me in our daily ritual before breakfast. "Anton, I know it doesn't make up for being irresponsible and putting us all in danger, but I want to make dinner for the next several weeks. What would you like first?" I offered and he smiled fondly at me.

"Ask your father what he told me you made with him once. Ghastly, not Skulduggery." He added. "And since we need groceries you can pick up what you need to in town, by the time you return Skulduggery and I should have the hotel ready to move on." I agreed, grateful he wasn't a man to hold grudges.

* * *

After breakfast Ghastly and I piled into his van and set off for town with our list. "What did you tell Anton about me making with you? Whatever it was, he wants that for dinner." I said and Ghastly laughed.

"Mm. Remember when I was teaching you to cook, sweetie? He wants it all, so the two weeks you offered should just about cover it. We'll start with the pork chops tonight, nothing too strenuous." He teased gently. "And I'm glad you knew enough to offer. He'll never judge you, Val, but he knows it was either boredom or curiosity that drew you outside..."

"Boredom, and then I beat myself up for it as soon as I realized how much danger I'd put you all in. And before you ask, no, not bored of any of you or the Hotel. It's just that you've all seen and done so much, I get intimidated and don't feel like I'm worth anything to any of you." I admitted and dad looked at me worriedly.

"You stop that kind of thinking, Val. We all revere you and you know it. Anton didn't marry you so you'd become the perfect housewife or decide to become a special ops unit of one. He married you because he needed to be with you that badly." His voice caught with tears and I knew he was thinking of Tanith.

"Hey, you'll find the right girl some day. I know I'm crazy about you, and I'm just your brat daughter." I said, touching his shoulder gently and he laughed shakily.

"I think Tanith is too, but she doesn't have it in her to stay faithful. That doesn't make her a bad person, but I don't want you taking after her, either."

"I know." I said softly. "I don't want to either. Random topic, but the whole trip to Erskine's lodge really was to give Anton and I a chance wasn't it?" I asked and dad grinned at me.

"It was. And before you ask, yes, part of me wants to go back to Tanith, and I always will. But considering she is with Billy-Ray now, I know she's not the girl for me. But cheer up, Val. I have a family I'm thankful for that I get to eat dinner with on a nightly basis and work beside every day. There are men who would trade everything the own for that. And women who would give anything to be in your place." He added and I smiled at him, grateful to get a lecture for once, because I realized it meant he cared, and also that I hadn't ruined everything with Anton with one foolish decision.

* * *

**Wow, Val's sounding like an actual adult now.**


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton or anyone else you might recognize. Many thanks go out to **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for the reviews and fave and to **Justrockzyxxx **for the review.

* * *

For the next two weeks I cooked and lavished attention on the three men in my life. Things got cozy, and Anton and I grew closer. On the day after my marathon of cooking we had to go grocery shopping again, and this time Anton took me. He had to restock those little things guests expect as well, though he drew the line at leaving mints on the pillow.

Anton, of course, had an agenda in mind, pointing out baby carrots, baby this and baby that in produce. "Look, Val, Baby bok choy." He said, fondly, and it finally clicked that he wasn't after stir fry.

I went and looped my arms around his waist. "If you wanted one of your own, all you had to do was ask." I said, and he drew me into a kiss of thanks. I heard a crash and realized an old woman had crashed into our cart on purpose. She glared at us, clearly affronted.

"Filthy animals." She sneered.

"Aisle five. And if you hurry maybe you can find a husband." Anton suggested helpfully and she took off with a shriek of outrage. I burst out laughing and he smiled at me, clearly pleased with himself. For the quiet one of the group, he caused just as much trouble as any other Dead Man.

* * *

On the way back, Anton talked excitedly of all the things we'd need. "We might need them sooner than you think." I said and he looked at me in utter adoration.

"You're sure? Oh, Valkyrie. You don't know how much I love you at this moment. Then it's perfect timing that I hired a new employee. Though you'll have to be gentle with him. He hasn't seen his little sister for months. Not that she knows she's his sister, he wouldn't tell her."

"Wait, what?" I asked, confused.

"He adopted her, and as he has a rather loathsome past, he wouldn't tell her. I hired him so he can be as close to her as he likes." It took a minute, but I realized one of the Dead Men would be waiting for us.

And once we were home, and inside I found the brother in question manning the front desk. He gave a high-pitched girlish squeal of delight then hugged me gently. "What, no roughhousing?" I asked.

"I know women, and I know when one of them is pregnant. I get to be an uncle! And bother you all day!"

"Dex, you are such a moron." I said fondly as he drew me into another hug.

"That I am." He said nodding proudly. "I'm not done with adventuring you know, I understand you manage to get into plenty of adventures all on your own." He said, then ruffled my hair playfully and crossed his eyes at me. Sometimes it was hard to believe he was one of the deadliest mages on the planet.

* * *

**Aww,Val gets a moron for a brother! And a baby on the way? Maybe!**


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, or Billy-Ray. Thanks go out to **Justrockzyxxx** for the review, **CJBrown** for the reviews and **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for the chapter idea and review. Lime alert for this chapter.

* * *

Anton and I went into his office and when he locked the door behind him I grinned. I didn't need a second invitation. I went to him, drawing him into a kiss, using his tie to pull him closer. Anton indulged me by deepening the kiss, then picking me up and carrying me to the leather sofa, not breaking our connection.

I slithered my hands inside his suit jacket, enjoying how his muscles still jumped, then he was shrugging off the coat and discarding the tie for me while I worked on his shirt buttons. Anton grinned wolfishly as I got his shirt open, trailing kisses down his toned chest, and soon he was out of that too. He leaned back and patted his chest, and I grinned, then slithered up to him, drawing a slight whimper from him.

"Aww, now that we're laying down, the big, bad Dead Man can't get my tunic off." I teased. Anton's eyes flashed at the challenge, and he'd flipped me under him in a combat maneuver in an instant. Then it was him straddling me, his long and artistic hands darting in and out of my tunic, and I was whimpering and begging for mercy.

Anton's look of desire softened, and he scooted back off of me, helping me up gently. This happened when we were together, his innate gentleness would take over. But it didn't stop him from reverently trailing kisses all over me as he peeled my tunic up gently. Then he had it off and was admiring my new lacy push up bra. He just had his fingers brushing against the delicate lace, and I had my fingers curled into his belt loops when there was a rumbling roar and I felt myself being drug underneath the ground by my feet.

Steely arms worked their way up my body, and then we were traveling. When we stopped and I felt hands start to caress my bare midriff, I didn't dare to move. A penlight came on, and Billy-Ray Sanguine grinned at me, then saluted me with his razor. "Hey, little darlin'. I've been thinkin' real hard on that kiss we shared. Real hard." He said, and I could hear the danger in his voice as he drew his straight razor teasingly over my bra between my cleavage.

"And you and me, we gotta special connection from that kiss. I guess I knew it was you I wanted all along." He said, and I was aware of how careful I had to be so I smiled faintly and nodded. "You want me too, don't you?" He asked, as he clambered on top of me.

"Yes, of course I do." I purred. "But we can't do much underground, Billy-Ray." I said, snaking my hands into his suit jacket and telling myself to think of it being Anton. So I closed my eyes and initiated a searing kiss, knowing that no matter how far things went it was worth it to protect my family from this lunatic.

Billy-Ray responded with passion, yet he was surprisingly gentle. And as he started off again, going on and on about how much he loved me and how much I'd enjoy Texas, I hoped my family would rescue me. Then I remembered something. I was the bad girlfriend and Anton had believed I wanted Billy-Ray the first time, and from his ban at the hotel I suspected he still did.

* * *

**Oh, great. She not only gets abducted by a lunatic, there's every possibility that Anton will leave her with him.**


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Dexter, Ghastly or Billy-Ray. Thanks go out to** CJBrown **for the review and giving me the chapter idea. Warning, violence ahead. Uh, it's got noting to do with anything but I was thinking of "Man With a Harmonica" from the Western "Once Upon a Time in the West" while writing this chapter. Try cutting and pasting 'Ennio Morricone, Spiel mir das Lied vom Tod & Cheyenne & Once Upon a Time in the West' into your You Tube search box for a lovely soundtrack.

* * *

We came above ground and everything exploded into chaos. I felt hands pull me out of Billy-Ray's grasp, then Dex was putting his suit jacket over me as I shivered in fear and humiliation. Skulduggery stepped right up to Billy-Ray and pistol-whipped him repeatedly. Billy-Ray screamed and staggered back, only to have Anton lash out a punch that drove him into the ground.

Then the men were on him, Skulduggery and Anton holding him tightly as Ghastly stepped up and began swinging the iron mallet he had in his hands, his sadistic grin growing with every scream he produced. I knew now why people feared the Dead Men. These weren't the men who loved and adored me, but inhuman things straight out of Hell.

* * *

Hobbled and with both knees broken, an unconscious Billy-Ray was tossed in the back of the van like the garbage he was, and we drove back to the hotel. The men were still feral and I didn't say a word as they drug him into a room, then proceeded to take in a metal tub and jumper cables and closed the door. I knew they would torture him until they killed him, and for a moment I was terrified I was next.

But then Dex looked at me and the hard look in his eyes vanished, replaced by the silly older brother I knew and loved. "I'll take you out to lunch, Val." He said cheerfully and I nodded, going to my room for a t-shirt. "Still love us?" He asked worriedly as I joined him in the family car.

"Of course. You all frightened me, and I'll behave like an angel for the next several centuries, but yeah. I'm just glad you're on my side." I said and he laughed.

"Why do you think we all love you, Val? You give us a refuge from the things we've had to do, and still have to do from time to time. I would have let you watch, Anton is a master at that sort of thing, but you're the baby and you have time yet." He glanced sideways at me. "He's still one of the good guys, Val."

"I know, I may or may not have done worse myself. But let's look on the bright side. Now you all know you're loved and accepted for who you are." I said and he nodded happily.

* * *

We had fast food, then got take away to take back to the others. And by the time we got home the Dead Men seemed serene again. I had a good idea of course, that Billy-Ray was being kept alive in that room, but said nothing when they all trailed off in that direction, Anton leaving me to check in guests and see to dinner.

Though part of me wanted to go back there and make him pay for endangering my baby and upsetting my husband, I had enough to do with adjusting to the fact that the movie Hostel was being acted out in a grisly fashion while I fluffed pillows, greeted guests, and made dinner. The Midnight Hotel, I decided, was all the adventure I'd ever need.

* * *

**That violence did us good.**


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery or Anton. Thanks go out to **Justrockzyxxx** for reviewing and **CJBrown** for the review and chapter idea. I can't promise everything will make it in, kittens, but sometimes suggestions or comments fit in nicely. There's a tad of violence implied in this chapter, enjoy!

* * *

The men looked delighted with lasagna for dinner, and I had to good sense to say nothing as they voraciously tore into second and third helpings. Skulduggery crooked a finger at me, then led the way back to the room. "Not quite dead, not yet. That room can keep him alive forever. I don't suppose you'd watch the door? The others know the truth, but, I can get a little _enthusiastic_ about my work." There was ice creeping into his voice, and shadows starting to seep out from him. I nodded and he went in and closed the door.

When Anton appeared in the hall I shook my head. He just smiled serenely. "Come have dessert, Val. We all have other work to do." He said, though he gave the door a rather dreamy look. So I did, and the men mobbed me with affection, praising me for working so hard and continuing to put dinner on the table every night. Though they all would look in the direction of the room from time to time and smile.

* * *

When Skulduggery appeared later that night he decided on an impromptu tour of his room. "Simply lovely, isn't it?" He asked me and I agreed. "Coffee?" He offered and at my nod he got the small machine going. "I won't go into the messy details, but Lord Vile is a rather devoted father." He said, tilting his head in a smile.

I laughed and bundled him into a hug. "Thanks for coming to my rescue, Dad. I thought for a minute Anton might think the worst and leave me with him."

"You screaming blue murder convinced him it wasn't a romantic elopement. Besides, nobody likes Billy-Ray. Well, when there's a blow torch and shackles involved he can prove most amusing."

"Dad!" I said swatting him, and he chuckled. We chatted for a while, then I went to bed, not finding Anton, but not too surprised. He entered our room when I was nearly asleep and slipped into bed beside me, I turned sleepily and snuggled up against his warmth, then his lips found mine as he started to tremble.

"Shh, it's all right, Anton. I feel safer here now than ever before. You protected me as a husband should. I'm glad you realized it was an abduction. The only thing that scared me is that you might leave me with him." I admitted.

"Never." Anton said, then as we often did, we picked up where we had left off earlier in the afternoon. And by morning it was as if Anton Shudder were a new man. He doted on me all day, not letting me do much of anything.

"Anton, I can still help. I think exercise is good for the baby." I said, but he shook his head happily.

"Valkyrie, I wasn't kidding when I said about never being with a woman before. You wanting to have my child only makes me love you that much more. You deserve a few days rest after your ordeal and had he hurt either you or the baby Billy-Ray wouldn't be dead and gone now."

I looked at him and smiled in response because there really wasn't anything to say to that.

* * *

**I think we'll jump ahead in time to the baby next, but I wanted to get a certain Texan in the ground where he needed to be.**


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Ghastly, Skulduggery, Saracen, Erskine, Dex or anyone else you might recognize. Many thanks go out to **Justrockzyxxx** for the review!

* * *

The only use Anton approved of for Sanctuaries was as a place to deliver babies away from mortals. So when our little one was due he was born in the Irish Sanctuary. With a baleful father eyeing the doctor's every move, of course. And with all the Dead Men waiting for him right outside it was a wonder he was able to deliver our little boy.

And as soon as they could, the rest of the Dead Men gathered around me, admiring our little one. "Our new recruits get younger every year." Ghastly said fondly, taking our son into his arms.

"What are you calling him?" Saracen asked, taking the tiny bundle.

"Larrikin." Anton said, smiling fondly on our son.

* * *

And so, young Larrikin joined us in the Midnight Hotel and from the start it was if he was a Dead Man in training. At least that's how the men saw him. I saw his black hair and the stunning grey eyes he'd inherited from Anton and was happy.

He was walking by six months, and I took him to whatever duties I had, though those duties were light. Maybe it was his name, or the fact they all said he resembled the fallen Dead Man, but Erskine had quit as the Grand Mage and joined us, prompting Anton to at last put out a light breakfast for our guests since we had the staff.

Dex couldn't get enough of his nephew, and it wasn't unusual to see them together, as Dex would commandeer the kitchen to bake cookies soft enough for Larrikin, or read to him in the common room. Anton was amused that we had to wait to see our own son at times, and life was serene.

* * *

One night Anton and I watched as Skulduggery carried a sleepy Larrikin off to bed. Skulduggery had warmed my heart with how he had taken to Larrikin and he was unfailingly gentle with him. I knew the stern, parental side would come out later, as it had with me, and I wondered if he saw a future partner in Larrikin and didn't mind if he did.

Anton looked at me as we retired for the night. "I've never seen any of the Dead Men this peaceful. Of course, knowing us, this is only a brief interlude." He smiled.

"You hush. I'm looking forward to the day when you're all teaching him combat maneuvers and he's a holy terror to the guests." I said and we both laughed. Because in all likelihood he would be. Larrikin already had a mischievious streak a mile wide, and liked playing jokes on people.

True, he couldn't do much at six months, and he never meant any harm, but he would make gestures at times, or do things a certain way that would make the Dead Men stop and stare at him in recognition. I told myself it was just his name and their memories playing tricks on them, but sometimes I wondered. Especially when he developed a habit of hiding baby cookies in all of Anton's pockets.

* * *

**OK, that was really strange at the end, but I wanted to get the baby in and his personality tacked down before moving on. I don't own Larrikin either, obviously. **


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Finbar, Dexter or the original Larrikin. Thanks go out to **CJBrown** and **Justrockzyxxx** for reviewing.

* * *

A few months passed and it was Christmas time, and we'd returned to Ireland as we did every year for a few weeks. It let Skulduggery and I check on our respective homes, and in this case, he and I took Larrikin in the Bentley to visit Finbar Wrong. "This is a stupid idea, Dad. Finbar will agree with you just to make you happy."

"No, he knows what he's doing and he has ways of doing things. If all else fails he'll use the Soul Cube." I didn't like the sound of that, not with Larrkin involved, but I did like Finbar Wrong, who despite his name, was rarely wrong about anything. He was just a touch absent minded.

"Hey, Skull Man, Hey, Valley Girl!" He said and I smiled warmly. I hated the new nickname and hoped he'd forget it. "You want to see the old lady?"

"We don't know her, Finbar. But we do need your help. May we come in?" Dad asked, working his velvety voice overtime.

"Oh, sure, sure. Hey, Val, that's a cute baby. How about I tattoo him on you, OK?"

"Oh, that's lovely, really, but we don't have time-" I said, and he nodded and led us upstairs.

"I saw your visit, you know. Had a vision." Finbar said happily. "So, just to make sure, even though I know I'm right, I got out the Soul Cube for the little fellah." Finbar said, taking out a small glass cube that looked like a tacky paperweight. "Watch." He said in awe, giving the cube to Larrikin. And when Larrikin played with it his name floated up from nowhere in tiny, glowing letters.

"Told ya." Finbar said. "I can already tell he's one that chose to come back. And I knew his name was Larrikin. But the Soul Cube proves it. Gives the Taken name a person had in a previous life. Either of you want to try it? I never get anything." We smiled and both demurred, then thanked Finbar and left.

"So, we know he is Larrikin, now what?" I asked as we returned to the Bentley and dad shrugged.

"Honestly? We men thought we were all going crazy. It means nothing, really. His life now is not the one he had. Still," Dad paused as he pulled out into holiday traffic, "it _is_ nice to know. You'll likely never get Dex away from him now. It would explain the bond we all feel for him, aside from him being your and Anton's son."

"I'm happy for all of you, but isn't it strange?"

"Honestly? No. Sometimes a mage can choose to come back, but usually they choose a path that brings back their body so they can resume their old life, or at least start over as the same person. This is extremely rare, but it happens."

"And you were going to tell me this _when_, Dad?" I growled and Skulduggery just laughed in reply.

* * *

**Aww, a baby Larrikin!**


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Larrikin, Anton, Dex, Skulduggery or Saracen. Many thanks go out to **Bluegirlassasin6444** for the fave, and to **Justrockzyxxx** and **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for reviewing.

* * *

When we got home Anton met us at the door, bundling Larrikin and I into a hug. "I missed you both." He said softly, then kissed me, then our baby. "Well?" He asked, scooping our son into his arms.

"He's Larrikin." Skulduggery confirmed and Anton gazed on our baby lovingly.

* * *

Later as I went to see what he might like for lunch I saw the most adorable sight. Father and son fast asleep on the leather sofa in his office. Dex, appearing over my shoulder, grinned at me when I gently closed the door. "I know, new life, but those two used to sleep like that during the war. They were soul mates, in a brotherly sort of way. Larrikin was the baby, and he'd make a beeline to Anton and try to cuddle up at night for protection. Anton would growl and show his teeth, and roll away. He absolutely hated being touched. So poor Larrikin would roll up into a ball beside him." Dex offered to help with lunch, so he could tell me more.

I nodded, and we decided on salads and frozen pizzas. Not glamorous, but easy on us. Dex continued once the pizzas were in the oven. "We were under enemy shelling one night. Our war matching up with a mortal one, so who knew the difference? Larrikin was so terrified at that point, he couldn't move. We all were. He didn't even try to go to Anton that night but tried to burrow the best he could into the side of our trench. Anton took pity on him and went over beside him, allowing Larrikin to cuddle into him. We knew it took everything decent in Anton to allow the contact, and after that they were like brothers. You can't imagine how terrible I felt when Larrikin saved me." Dex finished softly and I hugged him to me tightly.

"Shh, it's all right. At least you didn't wander into a trap like I did or have a crazy man stalking you." I said and Dex laughed cheerfully.

"I've had plenty of men stalking me. Usually over wives or sisters." He said with a devilish grin and we laughed. Larrikin toddled in the kitchen followed by a sleepy Anton.

"I would have cooked, sweetheart." He said, looking at the oven, then at the timer, then he rooted around and put in frozen breadsticks as well and started defrosting the sauce. "See? I can cook too." He said and we all grinned at one another.

* * *

We just had lunch set out and I was rounding up our family to eat when I heard the chime from Anton's office and turned to get the front door. A man walked in, looking ragged and worse for wear from his journey, but his eyes lit up when he saw me. "Valkyrie, have I ever told you you're the little sister I never had?" He asked with a grin and I hugged him tightly in greeting. "No idea why, but thought you all would need me." He said.

"We don't need excuses for family to drop by." I said fondly and led him into the kitchen. The Dead Men greeted Saracen warmly, and as he picked up Larrikin to cuddle him close I figured the Dead Men were reunited, but that there was some way that the rest of us would return as well.

* * *

**OK, I made up the events during the war, but Anton is a complex character. He's said to dislike hugging (and, presumably, any physical contact) and he can be sarcastic. Yet he has this warm tender side that does give out hugs. I figured there had to be a reason.**


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Saracen or the Dead Men. And nobody but a fool claims to own Baron Samedi. Thanks go out to **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** and **CJBrown** for the reviews.

* * *

Saracen had brought me a package, something he'd picked up in the islands. "Strange story, Val, this man approached me and said you left that. I'd never knew you'd been." He said.

_Oh, no_. I thought, as my fingers brushed the contents. And the small ceramic skull inside wearing a distinctive top hat seemed to contort its features into an even bigger grin. I put the package down, but it was too late. The distinctive aroma of tobacco and piman invaded the kitchen and the radio blared on, playing a drumbeat.

There was nasal laughter, and Baron Samedi manifested in all his skeletal glory. "Ah, mon cher. You forget the little present I give you. You wanna get married yet or what?" He asked, leering at me, then looking at the radio and gripping his skull-topped cane. "I can dance the banda for everyone if you like, then you marry me." He said cheerfully.

I knew he was teasing. At least I _hoped_ he was. But I had to be firm with him. "Look, you sneak. I don't want to work with you. You drink, you cuss, you fight, you chase women."

"Mm. Just like them." Baron replied, pointing his cane at the Dead Men. "You think those men are little angels, woman? They be bad men at heart, like me." He said fondly. And I sighed. Being the personification of Death, Baron Samedi was extremely wise, he just liked to cause trouble and have fun.

The dapper skeleton turned to the table. "You feed me?" He chirruped at the men and I hurried to get him a soda which was better than nothing, and told the men with a glance to let him eat his fill. He could never really be full, being Death, but he seemed to be taking just a little for once as he seated himself.

"I tease you, cher. Mon petit fleur. I come, give you a gift." He said, and I could feel him look at me from over the top of his sunglasses. "Your comrades in arms, I bring them back for you." He said and I was suddenly wary. He'd demand a price to keep the Universe in balance, he had to.

The men still seemed dumbstruck, so I spoke for us. "You always were generous, Papa. I remember you were nice to my parents too, but I thought that Vodoun was all nonsense for the tourists."

"Some is, some isn't. I like you, I do this free of charge, provided..." He gave me a crafty look. "You keep that skull, you let me visit you, time to time. I no welcome some places." He said with a weary sigh. And I laughed. He was a chain-smoking trouble-maker, a heavy drinker, and the king of the Saturday night revel, but he'd be a good and loyal ally.

"What do you think?" I asked the men, but they were all still staring at him. I sighed and wondered if he'd done something to them. I looked at him, but he put on a look of innocence.

"I don''t have much choice, do I?" I asked the spirit and he grinned.

"Look at it this way, cher. I always be here, skull or not. I could cause lot of trouble if not happy. But I like you. I be good. Keep the skull, get your comrades." At my nod he rose smoothly, and for a moment play time was over. The being that stalked towards me was Death with a capital D. "Bon. I take you to them then." He said, and with that he was touching my shoulders and everything faded into blackness.

* * *

**The Baron Samedi is a quite real Vodoun spirit. He's usually harmless and gives out blessings via the banda (some say this dance belongs to Papa Ghede), but like any spirit he's crafty and knows how to get what he wants. Like getting into stories, even if you think it's a really bad idea. If you've ever met you know how wonderful he thinks he is. And mercy yes, I work with him, so he's appearing with all due respect. **


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Hopeless or Corrival. Thanks go out to **Justrockzyxxx**, **CJBrown** and **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for reviewing. Mild violence ahead.

* * *

The darkness faded and we were on a mist-shrouded path. "You stay close to me, cher. This place dangerous." He said, and I believed him when I heard voices calling from the mist. Baron put a protective arm around me and we walked slowly while he gripped his cane tightly, seemingly ready for a fight.

"You know, I could leave you here. Let a nasty get you. You promised you'd come back, see me, cher. And you never come. I wait long time, then I come for you." He stopped and I looked at him, watching as he transformed into the smoking hot guy from the Sanctuary. He chuckled and winked, then shifted back again. "But I like you, so I move your love life along."

"_That_ was you?"

"Oui. Was fun pretendin' to be boondoggled by that sensitive." He chuckled again. "I know, you say this is trick. But what is skin colour to me, cher? I can be anything I want to be." Ah, here we are." We'd come to a small stone pub along the path, and he escorted me inside.

"You keep quiet here, oui?" He whispered through closed teeth. I nodded. "Bon." Then in a raised voice he addressed the bar. "Drinks for everyone, and a keg for me!" He said, and the men laughed. The place looked rough and I had no problem sticking to his side.

We went to the bar and the barman produced piman for Baron, a rum so laced with hot peppers only he could drink it. "What will you have, little lady?" The barman asked with a toothy grin.

"You can pour her a coffee. Killed twelve men last time she got drunk." Baron said, shaking his head sadly, and the barkeep hurried for my coffee. I realized then he could influence people. He nodded at my thoughts. "Oui, cher. But is only parlour trick. Gets boring after the first millennium or so."

I felt sorry for him then. For all the fun he could be, people feared him. He was the loneliest of all the spirits in a way and I knew he was fond of me because I'd talk to him. "Your comrades here, watching you cher. Don't turn 'round. Let them look." I nodded and accepted my coffee from the barkeep's shaking hands.

"I don't want no trouble." He said. "I'll keep the coffee comin'. On the house." I gave him a smile that said _I'd_ decide if there was trouble or not and the Baron chuckled. A man came up the bar and looked at me. Hard. He had a knife on him, but before he could get it I punched him in the teeth and he roared in pain.

Then somehow I was off the barstool and crashing it against his head. Pandemonium broke out and shots were fired, but luckily not at me. Corrival and a man who had to be Hopeless appeared beside me, punching men that drew too close. Hopeless grinned at me. "Who knew big and scary would get himself a bride? Well, if we're going we better leave while we still can."

And with that the Baron clasped all three of us to him while the fight raged around us. Blackness swelled and when it fell we were back in the kitchen of the Midnight Hotel. "That was fun, oui?" He asked. Then he stepped back, tipped his top hat to me and was gone.

* * *

**As if Val needs help finding trouble. Still, a good old-fashioned bar fight is always fun.**


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Corrival, Hopeless, Skulduggery, Ghastly or Anton. Thanks go out to **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan**,** Justrockzyxxx** and **CJBrown** for reviewing.

* * *

Once the Dead Men recovered from their shock, they mobbed Corrival and Hopeless with welcoming affection and endless questions. Corrival held up his hands and they all quieted down. "Yes, we are both alive. Thanks to the rescue mission Val went on. And before any of you lecture the young lady in question, the man in the bar had it coming."

"_What_ man in _what_ bar?" Skulduggery asked.

"Samedi likes her, so he got her into a bar fight. He knows what a violent young woman she is." Corrival said, smiling paternally at me.

"I'd hate to she what he do if he hated her." Ghastly said. "But why not all of us on the mission?" The men turned to stare at me and I shrugged.

"Samedi likes women, and he was getting back at Valkyrie in his own way for leaving him high and dry in the islands. Helping too of course. He knew seeing a strange man would cause a whole lot of excitement in her life."

"Indeed. You were supposed to be _married_?" Anton asked and Corrival laughed.

"He's the one spirit that can't marry. He's dead and Death all in one. He'd make a most interesting spouse, wouldn't he?" Corrival turned to me. "My dear, may I be charmingly sexist and ask you to fetch me some cakes and a crossword?" He winked and I was out to the garage and speeding away before anyone could follow.

* * *

Corrival was delighted with his cakes and crossword, and I made sure to get plenty of junk food for the rest of the men. And take away and other assorted treats to escape their masculine wrath at being left out of a good fight. Skulduggery was actually sulking. "I see how it is. You just go off with any skeleton you see." He growled. "Fine partner _you_ turned out to be." He huffed, crossing his arms and refusing to look at me.

"It wasn't much of a fight, Dad. Honest. One punch to the teeth and a barstool to the face, that's it."

"My word, you're a violent young woman." Dad said, sitting up in interest. The other Dead Men were watching us, obviously wanting to hear more.

"Yes, but that was only because he was going after her with a knife." Corrival assured the men, then regaled everyone with a highly embellished version of the events carefully crafted to make me look like an innocent victim. He smiled and winked at me at the end and I grinned back, deciding I liked him just fine.

* * *

**This story has everything. Bar fights, zombies, junk food. Who knows what will happen next?**


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie or anyone else you might recognize. Special thanks go out to **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for the review and **Justrockzyxxx** for the review and chapter suggestion. Warning, violence ahead.

* * *

By the time he was ten, Larrikin was an intelligent, mischievious, fun-loving boy. Who made friends easily. Sometimes too easily. When he came banging in the front door one day to tell me to come meet his neat new friend and raced back out, I though nothing of it. Until it dawned on me that the Midnight Hotel always set down in the middle of nowhere.

I raced out the door, slapping the silent alarm under the front desk along the way and stopped cold on the front porch. I put both hands in the air, and walked down the steps slowly, facing the elegant yet scarred man who held my son. "Dusk." I said carefully. "Please let him go." Dusk just smiled and put one hand under Larrikin's face and turned him to face him. The other hand went casually to the back of his neck and my blood froze.

"But we are good friends, and we are going on a little trip together. You should pick your friends more carefully, Detective." There was a burst of shadows and Solomon Wreath appeared. I looked at him in shock.

"The first one of you who moves..." He addressed the porch and I knew all the Dead Men were behind me.

This had gone far enough. "Wreath. Let my son go." I said, my voice draining of emotion.

"Why, we're taking him on vacation, isn't that right, Larrikin?" Wreath asked. Larrikin having realized the danger he was in, went wide-eyed.

"I'll give you no final warning." I said, and it was already too late for Wreath, really. And for Dusk too as my shadows exploded out around me. I launched multiple spears and tendrils at once, snatching Larrikin to me as I rose into the sky, striking faster that even Wreath could raise his own shadows.

I impaled both men, coldly reveling in their screams, then, to be sure, decapitated them both. Larrikin was terrified, and I didn't blame him. As I set down I faced the Midnight Hotel. Larrikin started to sob in relief, but the men were still frozen in shock. A breeze played with my black hair and I knew the eyes that gazed on them were black. I couldn't help the smile that played on my lips. "_Nobody_ touches my son. Ever." I said.

"Go to your father, Larrikin." I ordered, giving him a gentle push. Frightened of me, he didn't have to be asked twice. My shadows writhed gently as I considered the men.

"Darquesse." Ghastly said, and I could hear the sound of betrayal in his voice. Anton for his part, just kept staring at me.

"At your service. My advice to you is to aim for the head. I'll even give you a free shot. So, which of the legendary Dead Men is going to kill Darquesse?"

* * *

**OMG, this could totally be the end!**


	36. Chapter 36

A/N: I don't own Darquesse or Anton. Thanks go out to **CJBrown** and **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for reviewing.

* * *

I had to admit, it was an amazing sight. The legendary Dead Men arrayed on our front porch, weapons at the ready. Hard men, all of them. But all the Dead Men seemed to recede from view as I looked at Anton. He held our son in one arm and cradled Daisy, his beloved double-barreled shotgun from Hell in the other. The breeze picked up, whipping my hair in my face and I smiled as I stared at him, then dipped my head and laughed. "Feels like a bad Western, doesn't it?" I asked, smiling at Anton.

He said nothing and I studied him and Larrikin. It did feel like a Western. Only the roles were reversed this time. The horrified parent clutching the frightened child as the outlaw stared them down was the father. I almost swore I heard a theme to an old Western I liked and realized I was humming "Cheyenne's Theme" under my breath. This was never the way I'd imagined dying, but then it never is, is it?

"I've never been kissed by a Daisy before." I said, cheerfully. "Suppose it's gonna hurt." I offered, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "If it's not you, Anton, it will be somebody else. Word will get out. It always does." I assured him. The silence that met me was eerie as he continued to stare.

"Mama!" Larrikin wailed and I winced. I feared he'd run off that porch and the worst would happen. My son would get shot.

"Son, you stay with your father. Now, I love you two more than anyone is this whole, wide world. And I would die to protect you. But I'm a bad person, son. And I've got to pay for the sins I've committed. Go inside." I ordered. He shook his head, crying.

"Mama!"

"Now, Larrikin!" I roared and he jumped at the anger in my voice, then ran inside. The door banged open and shut and silence fell again, only to be interrupted by his muffled sobbing from inside.

"Do it." I said, leveling my steely gaze at Anton.

It's funny what goes through your mind at a time like that. I thought about everything that had happened between us over the years. Our first meeting in the Midnight Hotel when I'd gazed into those gentle eyes for the first time. Serving in the war together, when I received both his friendship and stinging sarcasm as needed.

Our courtship, and how very sweet and tender our first kiss had been. Making love to my husband for the first time, the very first time I'd been with anyone. Though I still doubted him when he claimed I was his first. I didn't mind. We had over ten years of marriage and raising a fine son. I was sad to be leaving all that behind, but I could think of no other man I wanted to pull the trigger more.

I met his eyes, trying to read the emotions there. What I saw made me wince. He still loved me. He was betrayed, he was hurt, but despite all that he loved me. He wanted me to stay and I couldn't think of a finer man on the planet at that moment. "They'll hunt me down, you know that. I can't endanger any of you. It has to be this way, Anton. I have to die. And who better to do it? You've been an interesting man to know, Anton Shudder. And, for what's it's worth, I love you."

* * *

**Dang, nothing can go right for her, can it?**


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: I don't own Darquesse, Valkyrie, Ghastly, Skulduggery, Lord Vile, Anton, Corrival, Dex, Saracen, Erskine or Larrikin. Special thanks goes out to **Justrockzyxxx** and **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for reviewing!

* * *

There was a movement and I let my gaze drift over to Ghastly, who handed his gun to Erskine, leaned against a porch beam and folded his arms. "How's the word going to get out, Darquesse? Hotel's empty and you just got rid of the witnesses. I didn't see anything."

"And if you get rid of the shadows, and the hair and eyes-" Skulduggery offered. I looked at him amused, and let myself become normal again. "This is all my fault entirely, you know. I should have showed them Lord Vile's tender mercies. I didn't think." I shrugged then looked at Anton.

I was going to ask him if he was still going to shoot me, but Corrival interrupted. "And if you died today, who would get me cakes and crosswords?" He offered playfully.

"And make me dinner?" Dex whined.

I laughed and looked at Anton, who, at last, was smiling. He handed Daisy to Saracen and stepped off the porch. I ran to him and Anton captured me in his arms, initiating a kiss both as sweet as the first time and as searing as our last. He lifted me off the ground, taking the kiss deeper, and when he at last set me down my knees buckled and I felt distinctly dizzy.

The Dead Men cheered and mobbed me with affection as I returned to the Hotel. I held each of them close, listening to and returning words of affection, then went inside, to find Larrikin. "Mama!" He ran towards me and I scooped him up in my arms, peppering that beloved face with kisses.

"Sorry I frightened you, sweetheart. But no one touches you or anyone else in our family. Now I have to stay hidden, OK? So no telling what you saw." I said gently and he nodded, then clung tighter. I cuddled him into me, then steered him into the kitchen. I was so tame that my first instinct was to feed everyone but I didn't mind.

"Oh, no, Valkyrie. We all go out, to celebrate. After a few things outside are taken care of." Anton said, taking me into his arms. "And do you believe me yet, when I tell you you're the first woman?" I looked into his grey eyes and nodded. I did.

"First woman to what?" Larrikin asked and I laughed.

"To be a Dead Man. Now go wash up, Lar. We're going out." I said and he was off like a bullet, squealing with joy.

Anton smiled fondly after him. "He remembers more each day. And it's him remembering, not us feeding him stories. This is the part where I tell you that one day, perhaps soon, he's going to undergo a startling transformation. And I don't mean growing up. He chose the path of being born, but he's still the old Larrikin. It will happen one day, but his age will catch up with him. That's not going to bother you is it?"

"Having a son centuries older than me? It actually makes sense in this family. So, no, it doesn't. He ever tell any of you why?"

Larrikin, returning, answered himself. "I wanted you for a mom. Could have come back as an adult, and today wouldn't have happened, I guess. I didn't think things through, huh?"

"No, sweetie. You thought about right." I said taking him into my arms and smiling down at my son.

* * *

**Whee, that was fun! Now I can leave it there, or do more, you have to let me know.**


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Larrikin, Dex or Ghastly. Thanks go out to **CJBrown **for the review. Figured I'd give them all a rest for a chapter.

* * *

We'd chose a place that wasn't fast food, but not fine dining, either. It was a rare haven for mages, so we could all relax and not resort to disguises. There were mostly burgers, fries, hot dogs and soda on the menu, but we all wanted to indulge Larrikin, considering what he'd been through. And, as always, we drew some stares. Not just because we always needed a table for ten, either. We were a family unit, a real one, and that seemed fairly rare.

Dex grinned at me. "Adventure just seems to find you, doesn't it?" He teased and I smiled. He turned his gaze to Larrikin, who sat beside him. "That's what you want in a mother. Some would have handed you over, trust me, I know." Dex waved a cheerful hand of dismissal at our murmurs of sympathy.

"Yeah, but I forgot my training." Larrikin said sadly.

"Sweetheart, we all do from time to time. You don't think I was scared? We all were terrified, and not of your mom, either." Ghastly said, and we all laughed.

It was good getting out, just relaxing and enjoying one another. And we saw no reason for it to end there. Larrikin only had to give me a hopeful look and we all camped out in the common room that night, cooking over the fire.

I looked at Larrikin, thinking of what Anton had said, and I sensed the time was coming soon. Mostly likely thanks to having me scare a century off of him. So it didn't really surprise me when he looked at me the way he did when he didn't feel well, then laid down on top of his sleeping bag. "It's time." Anton murmured.

We all gathered around him as he closed his eyes. Bands of misty light started to surround Larrikin, more and more of them until he was woven into a shell of white and gold. The light grew brighter, and when it faded I was looking into the eyes of a fully-grown man who didn't really resemble my son too much.

"Mom?" He asked weakly.

"Yes, baby?" I asked, leaning in and stroking his damp brow. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"Just wanted to know you still loved me." He said, before closing his eyes and drifting off into a healing sleep.

When he awakened Larrikin was greeted as if he'd just returned, and in a way, I guess, he had. It was distinctly odd looking into the eyes of a man who should have been my older brother, and having him cling to me tightly and call me mom, but I figured I'd get used to it, because I had a sense that Dex wasn't the only one who'd had a bad mother.

* * *

**Before you ask, my mom was awesome. That's why I can't stand the bad ones.**


	39. Chapter 39

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Larrikin, Anton, Scapegrace or Thrasher. Thanks go out to** IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for the reviews and** CJBrown** for the chapter idea.

* * *

Larrikin and Anton got along as well as they ever did, though Larrikin seemed a tad unsure if he got to treat Anton as his older brother once more or father. As he trailed me around the hotel one day, I knew he had his heart on seeing Anton as his older brother once more. "But- I loose you then, don't I? As my mom, I mean?" He asked and I studied him.

Larrikin had been the baby of the group and there was no way of telling his exact age. I knew he was a brave man, but I also knew he was a frightened and confused one at the moment. Men, after all, were supposed to be big, tough and independent. Never mind the fact that he'd literally been ten less than a few weeks before. "You only loose me if and when you want to. Or if you don't come into the kitchen and help me get started on cookies." I said, ruffling his hair fondly.

Larrikin grinned and laughed, and trailed in after me. We were just getting the cookies in the oven when he looked up, suddenly alert. We both went to the front desk, having the wary feeling that unexpected guests were coming and unexpected guests usually meant trouble. The door opened and two revolting zombies slowly shuffled in.

The stench of death reeked off of them, and the lead one looked at me as I put a steadying hand on Larrikin's arm. "Don't, bother. They're harmless." I said and the zombie drew himself up to his full height, his ear dropping off in the process.

"I am the Killer Supreme!" He screeched. "And I have come to get my revenge!" He added, and I couldn't help laughing, I really couldn't. Nor could any of the Dead Men who had drifted out to see who our unscheduled guests were.

"There's only two of you, and ten of us. I hate to ask a favour, Thrasher, but can't you teach Scapegrace to count that high?" I asked, and Scapegrace roared with indignation.

"I am the Killer Supreme and King of the zombies! Even now, while I cleverly kept you distracted my minions have disabled the Midnight Hotel. And we brought_ friends_." He gave me a smile that literally peeled the skin back from his teeth and opened the front door wide.

I could hear voices howling in a distance, then as I watched the far hills, outlines appeared, first singly, then as a black mass that grew and surged down the hill, coming straight for the Midnight Hotel. It was a writhing, angry horde of zombies. And not the idiotic kind like the two in front of us. These had turned, and you could see the need to kill any living thing they came across, even at a distance.

Scapegrace chortled in glee. "Think of it, the Dead Men will really _be_ dead." He cackled as the men jumped into action, Anton confirming that the hotel wasn't going anywhere fast, then directing the others to board up all the doors and window.

"Think of _this_, genius. Those are flesh-eating zombies that will kill anything in their path, including_ you_." I said, looking at Scapegrace and wanting to kill him right then and there. Thrasher whimpered as the horde grew closer.

"Master! You said they were our allies, our brothers-in-arms! That they would spare us!" He wailed and at the moment I couldn't have told you which one was stupider.

* * *

**Doesn't look like they will get out of this one, does it?**


	40. Chapter 40

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Thrasher, Scapegrace, Corrival, Anton, Hollow Men, Skulduggery, Erskine, Ghastly, Saracen, Hopeless, Dex, Lord Vile or Larrikin. Thanks go out to **Justrockzyxxx** and **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for reviewing.

* * *

"Master, please, can't we just take them back? Use the control collars and make them normal again, please? Then we can put them back in the trailer." Thrasher whined on bended knees as he hugged Scapergrace's legs.

"Shut up, stupid!" Scapegrace snapped. "I've got a brilliant idea, I'll use the device on their control collars to make them normal again. Then we can put them back in the trailer." He took out a small box with a button on it and pushed it. From between the boards on one of the windows I watched as most of the zombies stopped, clearly confused. But they didn't all stop and that was a problem.

"Where did you even get a trailer full of zombies?" I asked as I helped Saracen and Hopeless distribute weapons and ammunition.

"Well, we overhead in the bar that one Necromancy temple was attacking another, so-" Thrasher said and shrugged. "I bit the driver then he agreed to liberate our brothers and sisters for revenge. He's probably hiding in the Hotel right now with another zombie. I guess you should find them."

And as I rounded up the two frightened zombies with Dex I heard the Dead Men open fire.

* * *

In the end all the zombies were either loaded back into the truck or disposed of, and Thrasher and Scapegrace were told to return the trailer from whence it came. They went off, tails between their legs and I sighed in relief. "You know, it had to be Thrasher that came up with that plan. Scapegrace isn't smart enough." I said wearily and Corrival nodded as I joined him before the fire.

"I'm just glad we didn't have guests." Anton said. "You know, I really shouldn't complain, but why is it we only seem to fight zombies?" He asked.

"Other than Hollow Men they are the easiest monsters to control, I guess." Skulduggery said with a yawn. "But let's not borrow trouble, Anton. Had those collars not worked we'd been overrun."

"Because Darquesse couldn't just show up and fix the hotel? And we couldn't move anyways and leave a horde to attack the masses, right?" I asked and he nodded.

"Not with witnesses and I admit there was no real reason to kill them. Unless stupidity just became a crime." Skulduggery agreed.

"As former Grand Mage I declare it to be so." Erskine said, from the doorway. "How was you first day as a full Dead Man, Larrikin?" He asked and Larrikin shrugged sleepily. We were all tired from a day spent in battle and rounding up terrified zombies who didn't want to be caught. So when Ghastly suggested we all turn in we did, though I noticed he and Skulduggery stayed up to keep watch.

* * *

In the morning I found Skulduggery. "I can't believe I'm suggesting this, but those two seemed to know who I was. With Lord Vile's help I can stop their decay and make them halfway presentable. They'd make ideal night watchmen." And so it was after Skulduggery agreed to help that the Midnight Hotel got two of the stupidest but most devoted night watchmen in history.

* * *

**I'm gonna regret that last bit later on, aren't I?**


	41. Chapter 41

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Erskine, Larrikin or Ghastly. A bazillion thanks to **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** and** CJBrown** for reviewing. To celebrate 2,000 views in the first week the story has been up, here's something I've been thinking the story needed. Violence, of course.

* * *

Our new night watchmen were so devoted to the hotel that they refused to leave when we took an impromptu vacation to Erskine's lodge so a now adult Larrikin fully possessed of his magical and fighting abilities could enjoy himself with the other men. Anton and I had planned to use the trip for some romantic alone time, but the other Dead Men decided Larrikin needed to bond with me as his old self too.

I'd exchanged amused glances with Anton as we'd swung up on our horses in the stable, and the other Dead Men mounted as well. We looked like a wintery posse as we rode out onto the snow-covered trails under a gentle snow. Ghastly had been feeling nostalgic, and made us all clothes for the trip that looked more Western than anything.

Which helped, because having a warm Stetson and a scarf to pull up against sharp winds that took your breath away and seared the lungs helped greatly. Anton and I rode in the lead, Anton riding tall in the saddle. We relaxed, enjoying the scenery of snow-capped mountains and towering pines. The horses snorted out breath that plumed like mist in the air and the only sound was their progress through the snow.

At least at first. As we entered a wooded area, I though it looked idyllic and would have dismounted to explore, but Anton shook his head. "What?" I asked softly.

"Listen." He replied and as Skulduggery rode up beside me, I knew he heard it too. We'd stopped our mounts and at first all I could hear was them breathing. Then I heard it, rustling not far off, and I could feel us being watched.

"What do you think it is, not wolves?" I asked. When Anton looked at me I snorted laughter. "Seriously, Anton? There are no wolves in Ireland. They're extinct." He looked nervous. I'd never seen him look nervous before, not that I could recall. "They're gentle, intelligent creatures!" I tried as we all quietly turned our horses around.

"Whatever you do, do not let your horse gallop. Those aren't ordinary wolves, Valkyrie." Skulduggery cautioned. I wanted to ask what wolves he was talking about when a chorus of ghostly howls started. Our horses whinnied in fear, some started to jump slightly, and despite all we did, we could only keep them to a trot.

Then I looked over my shoulder and saw them. Giant shapes that were coming at us out of the woods, and my distraction was all the chance my horse needed to break into a gallop. The other horses followed suit, desperate to live as the howling beasts gave chase, jaws snapping. Closer and closer they came, one springing at my mount and Anton whisked me off her back just in time as she went down with a terrified scream and didn't come back up.

But it wasn't the horses the werewolves wanted. It was us, and as we rode back into the barn the men barely got the doors closed in time as the howling beasts stated to throw themselves against the sturdy lumber. "They'll go two-legged and get in, Anton!" Skulduggery warned, and as the pounding on the doors increased and they shook and started to give, I saw Anton's Gist start to emerge, clearly welcoming a fight.

* * *

**Awwooo, werewolves of, well, not London, but close. A reference to Warren Zevon, man, this story has everything!**


	42. Chapter 42

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Corrival, Dex, Saracen, Hopeless, Skulduggery, Erskine, Ghastly or anyone else you might recognize. Thanks go out to a **Guest** and **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for reviewing. And thanks also go out to **CJBrown** for the review and chapter idea. I needed a way to tie all the attacks together, so thank you! Violence ahead.

* * *

The doors burst open and the werewolves stormed in, and everything was chaos as Corrival yelled orders for all of us who could to form shields. We did, and the Gist, seeing his chance savagely attacked the beasts who were hammering at our defenses. I wanted to yell at him to pull back, but then I realized he was doing damage.

Screaming in rage he attacked with his talons and teeth, shredding his way through the werewolves, and they weren't healing. One made the mistake of grabbing him as he passed over it to another target and the Gist promptly bit its snout off. The werewolf howled in agony, and Dex hit it with a burst of energy in the chest, driving it back, giving the Gist time to complete his kill.

After that he and I were working together, the Gist rending the beasts while I would finish them off by decapitating them with shadows. It was risky, because it meant a dropped shield, but Corrival was still shouting orders and he approved.

Saracen sliced the clawed hand off one that reached through a gap in the shields with a silver dagger he produced, the hurled it into the beast's chest. It went down and stayed down. There were four of the snarling beasts left, and they backed of warily.

Hopeless produced a gun seemingly out of nowhere and then another beast was dead. He shrugged when we looked at him. "Iron was the original weapon to kill magical beasts. Must be iron in the bullets."

Then he just looked at another one and its head exploded. The remaining two, not liking their chances, snarled in rage, then retreated. Skulduggery, of course, wasn't letting them go. He shot one and it went down, then staggered to its feet, snarling. Erskine took aim and hurled an iron bar he'd found in stable at it, and it yelped, and the distraction allowed the Gist to go in and finish it off.

The last mangy beast went to Ghastly. Who went and picked up the iron bar then fed it to the dazed creature that I'd been pummeling with my shadows. "Would anybody like to tell me what werewolves are doing running around in the daylight?" He asked and Skulduggery and I exchanged glances.

"What?" He asked, but we didn't have to answer as Anton, having reeled the Gist back in fell to his knees. We took him back to the lodge, Erskine arranging for a Sensitive to explain to the mortal staff that they hadn't seen anything. And as Anton was recuperating before the fire he eyed me carefully.

"Trouble seems to follow you. The graveyard, the zombies, who let's admit, aren't that smart on their own to organize an attack or find us, the werewolves. Is there something you want to tell us?" I laughed and blushed and Skulduggery glared at me.

"Uh, maybe I was, uh, seeing someone, uh, at one time, and um, yeah. Maybe, I lied and sorta, kinda promised I'd marry him?" My voice was squeaky and Anton's eyes narrowed.

"Who?" He asked.

Skulduggery glared in my direction. "That's the genius that spurned Nefarian Serpine."

* * *

**Oh, snap!**


	43. Chapter 43

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Skulduggery, Corrival, Dex, Serpine, China or Ghastly.

* * *

"You were seeing _who_?" Anton asked. I blushed and looked down.

"Look, I uh, uh..." I trailed off and Skulduggery filled in for me.

"Once upon a time a bad little partner decided she was bored. So she dressed up in next to nothing and went to a bar, where she got blinding drunk and picked up by a former General. Who she then had a courtship with and swore she'd marry, mainly because he was, and I quote, "smoking hot" and she wanted to get to second base."

Anton looked like he was going to burst an artery. "_What_?" He ground out between gritted teeth.

"Um, it sounds really bad when he says it like that." I admitted. "But I told you I wouldn't lie to you, and I didn't. Skulduggery and I agreed that relationships that start out when you are blinding drunk don't count." I said, glaring at Skulduggery.

He snorted. "Don't blame all of this on me. I'm not the one who couldn't keep her hands to herself."

"That will be enough." Corrival said calmly. He looked at me. "Explains why you don't drink now, I always wondered. There isn't a man here without indiscretions in his past." He said and looked at Anton.

"Now _that's_ an interesting bit of news." I said evenly.

Dex laughed and we all looked at him. "I always knew you were one of us. Look, if all our former lovers joined together and attacked we'd be facing an army, so let's all let bygones be bygones, all right?" We all nodded reluctantly. "Good. The way I see it is this. Serpine still wants Val or he wouldn't be so royally pissed with her. So, how do we use that to our advantage?"

"Well, you already made out with him, so there's an idea." Skulduggery said tartly and I glared at him. "The man killed my family, Val, then me. Or did you forget that little detail?" He snapped.

"Yeah, well you sure seem to have forgiven China. Or did you think I didn't know about all those little "visits" you were paying her?" I snarled back, then the Dead Men were holding us back before we could go at each other.

"That's enough!" Ghastly barked. "What has gotten in to you two?" I flushed, ashamed, and Skulduggery looked at the floor.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"My fault entirely." He said, then held out his arms and held me in a close hug when I went to him. I rested my head on his bony shoulder and wondered if he'd run away with me, because I didn't see any other way out of the mess I'd made.

* * *

**Oh, the lady is a tramp!**


	44. Chapter 44

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, China, Corrival, Skulduggery or Serpine. Thanks go out to **CJBrown** and** IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for the reviews. Langue alert for the sensitive reader.

* * *

Anton sighed. "This is the part where I tell you I was seeing China." He said quietly. I laughed and he looked at me.

"Everyone's seen China." I said. "She's like a rite of passage or something."

"Indeed." He said, eyeing me and his lips twitched.

I blushed. "Not that _way_, geez, but she sure is friendly when she wants to be." I said. "OK, then. I made my bed, I lie in it. I'll go see what Serpine wants, other than my head on a stick."

"No. That's what he wants, Val." Corrival said. "Remember, he still wants the Dead Men out of the way to bring the Faceless Ones back. Your courtship was most likely a military tactic. Now he won't have to pretend to love you. He's a good strategist, I'll give him that."

"But he never could fight worth a damn." Skulduggery pointed out. "Valkyrie could tear him to pieces."

We all debated, then decided that it would be more fun, and a pretty good excuse to kill him if we pretended we had no idea who had sent the werewolves and waited for his next move. "He'll eventually come himself and preen." Skulduggery said. "And, Val, you are to vamp him and make up some sort of story he'll swallow." I nodded.

"This I have to see." Dex said and I looked at him.

"Serpine, I swear, I've only and ever loved you. But how could we be together when the other Dead Men want to kill you? Don't you see? I had to send you away because I love you." I managed fake tears via water manipulation and Dex whistled.

We'd agreed Anton and I would sleep in separate bedrooms, after a carefully constructed argument out by the hot tub. And that night as I lay there wondering if Serpine would take the bait I suddenly felt very sleepy. Too sleepy, and as I tried to fight the magic and failed, the sliding glass door to the outside deck opened and Serpine entered my room.

He smiled at me, and I was sure I'd be the first of the Dead Men he'd kill. But as sleep claimed me he came and scooped me gently off the bed. "Now you keep your promise to me, Valkyrie Cain." He said, stroking my face with his gloved hand. "Now you will become my bride and forget all other men." Then he was tilting a green potion between my lips and I couldn't resist swallowing the sweet liquid. "Now, my beloved bride, you'll only remember being my wife." Serpine murmured, then kissed me as sleep claimed me.

* * *

When I awoke I was in an ornate bed in what I assumed was Serpine's castle. _But of course its his castle,_ I chided myself, _why wouldn't you live with your husband, silly?_ And I smiled as the door opened and my husband walked in, his green eyes captivating me as they always did. "Ah, sweetheart, time to take your medicine." He said and I drank the green potion wondering why I had to take it and feeling there was something really important I needed to remember.

* * *

**Oh, dear. I'm not sure if that worked or not. **


	45. Chapter 45

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Nye or Serpine.

* * *

Serpine smiled at me, his green eyes glittering. "Why don't we breakfast on the terrace, my dear? Then we can have a walk in the garden if you like." I nodded and Serpine left as I got ready. Somehow the flowing white dress I put on felt strange, the whole castle did, even if Serpine assured me it was my home.

"Why don't I remember anything?" I asked as we strolled arm in arm in the garden.

Serpine sighed. "I was hoping not to have to tell you this, Valkyrie, but you were abducted by a group of men who call themselves the Dead Men. They are very clever and powerful sorcerors, and their leader convinced you he was your husband. They fed you memories my dear, over a decade's worth, I think. Thank goodness we have Mr. Nye here or the damage they did wouldn't have been reversed."

"Who?"

"Oh, he makes the potions to make you well, but sadly he couldn't bring back your memories of our marriage. So, we will start over. I will court you once again. And, in due time, a second marriage." He stopped walking and looked at me. "I do love you, Valkyrie Cain, though I'd thought myself incapable of that particular emotion. Perhaps you'll be a general yourself some day, as you seem you have out maneuvered me. "

"These men, are they dangerous?" I asked and he laughed as he took me into his arms.

"Extremely, but I shall protect you, my dear. And I'm very dangerous in my own right." He said, caressing my face with his gloved hand. There was something about it I couldn't remember and I shivered in fear. Serpine misunderstood me and bundled me close. "Hush, my sweet child. I'll protect you. Then, one day, my sweet, you will rule this world at my side as my rightful queen."

"I will? You're royalty?"

"Of a sort. We have friends coming, my dear, powerful friends. It may take a decade or so but when the time is right, they will come. First, of course, I'll have to face the Dead Men, but I'm willing to do it, with you at my side."

I nodded, really not sure what he was talking about. Serpine claimed the black ring I wore gave me magic powers. He also claimed magic was real and I didn't know if I should believe him or not. As I returned to my room, a voice spoke in my head.

_We have to get out of here. He's going to kill you._

"Who are you?"

_Never mind. Once he'd done toying with you, you're dead. So, let me out._

_"_"Um, OK." I said. I felt a strange shift and shook myself. My memory flooded back and I knew my black eyes were blazing with anger as I planned my revenge.

* * *

**Wheee, Darquesse is loose in Serpine's castle! Let the mayhem begin!**


	46. Chapter 46

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Serpine, Anton, Dex Ghastly, Skulduggery, Thrasher or Scapegrace. Special thanks go out to **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan **for the chapter event suggestion. Mild cuss alert.

* * *

I found Serpine in the castle library. As I strode in he smiled at me. "Ah, so the game is over, is it? Pity." He said, starting to pull off his black glove. But I shadow-walked to him and caught both hands in mine and crushed them before he could attack. Then I shadow-punched him in the face. "Skulduggery's right. You can't fight worth a damn." I said, hauling him off the ground with my shadows and tossing him across the room to crash into a book case.

The cathedral-style windows to the room all burst at once and the Dead Men came rappelling through them. I grinned gleefully at Serpine as he staggered to his feet. Anton crossed the room and punched him so hard his head snapped back. Dex snarled, and hit him with a burst of energy, then we all closed in on him.

I'd like to say we did what we did in that room to save the world, but it was honestly for revenge and we all knew it. Not so much as Serpine's corpse was left, and as we all staggered tiredly out to Ghastly's van I let myself become normal again. I stumbled and Anton caught me, then carried me the rest of the way. "Easy, Val. You're safe."

I nodded, and allowed myself to be bundled into the van. I tried to explain, but Anton hushed me. "It's all right, Valkyrie. Hush." He slipped my engagement and wedding rings on and I looked at him in surprise.

"You probably don't remember, but you threw them at me in the staged fight. It's the only time I've seen you take them off in over ten years." He said, his grey eyes misting slightly.

"I remember. Nothing happened, you know."

"Oh, we know Val. Emotions aren't the only thing Serpine couldn't feel." Skulduggery said with a snicker from the front seat.

"Oh, gross, Dad!" I scolded as the men burst into laughter.

* * *

We decided to return to the hotel early, and Thrasher and Scapegrace mobbed us with affection. They paticularly adored Skulduggery, who was miserable as they hugged him. "The Master returns!" Thrasher said happily.

"Yes-" Skulduggery said, peeling him off. "He does. Anything interesting happen while we were gone?" He asked as Scapegrace caught him in a groveling embrace at his feet.

"Nothing, Master!" Scapegrace said adoringly. Skulduggery mumbled something about that being good and shook him off as well. He turned to glare at me for my barely suppressed laughter then sighed as Thrasher hugged him again.

* * *

**Aww. Zombie hugs! OK, that can be it, unless you all want more. Let me know!**


	47. Chapter 47

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Ghastly, Skulduggery, Serpine or China. Thanks go out to **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** and **CJBrown** for reviewing!

* * *

Anton decided that an abduction counted as a reason for me to not only stay in bed all day being lazy and eating junk food, but he'd join me in my room for the day. So after breakfast I went over to my room and Anton went on a run for junk food. Ghastly stopped by just as I turned the TV on. "Hey, Dad." I said, as he stood in the doorway.

"Hey. Val, honey, you have a sec?"

"Yes, and before you say it, I'm not going to have a delayed reaction to him seeing China. He had to good sense to be ashamed of himself. But then, so did I. For both Serpine and China, just to clarify for those detectives lurking in the hall and listening." I said, raising my voice slightly.

Skulduggery stuck his head around the doorframe. "I was not. Merely making my rounds. So the big guy is off the hook?" I nodded. "Good." With that he and Ghastly disappeared and Anton returned shortly after laden with bags of junk food.

"We have a strange family. And no, I'm not mad, though I'm sure the snoops told you." I said and he chuckled. "You're not mad at me, are you?" I purred. Anton laughed.

"You're a naughty girl." He said, handing me a Coke and setting down a bag brimming with candy bars, potato chips and other forbidden treats. "Help yourself. You know, if we didn't have guests I'd have taken you somewhere romantic."

"This is, romantic, because I'm with you, Anton. I mean it." I said, cuddling up to him. Anton kissed me softly, then stroked my hair. "I love you, Anton Shudder, and I don't think I tell you that nearly enough." I said looking into his grey eyes and his smile in response was gentle.

Then he looked troubled. "Valkyrie, I did see her, in that much I was truthful. On several occasions, but never in a romantic fashion. It was rather unwise of me but I wanted her advice on a certain young woman. She even offered to make that young woman love me. And I was tempted. You hate me now, don't you?"

"For being in love with me? For trusting China? No, never. "

"But Serpine just did the exact same thing to you. He likely did it the first time he met you with whatever was in the bottle he left in your room. It's still being analyzed, by the way. But you don't know how close I came to doing the same thing. I'm not worthy of you, Valkyrie Cain."

"Hey." I set my Coke on my bedside table and put the bag on the floor. "Come here." I drew him into a lingering kiss. "You were in love and terrified I wouldn't feel the same way for you. You think I don't understand that?" I asked, stroking his hair softly.

"But it isn't right." He protested feebly as I drew him into another lingering kiss.

"Then, Anton Shudder, you better find a way to make it up to me, my international man of mystery." I purred. "I suggest you start by making sure that door is locked. Rowr." Anton grinned and did as he was told. And he most certainly figured out a way to make his indiscretion up to me.

* * *

**Um, they played fifty two card pickup, yeah. And to clarify, chips would be crisps in the UK. But Landy seems to adore American words and I felt lazy.**


	48. Chapter 48

A/N: I don't own Ghastly, Valkyrie, Anton, Skulduggery, China, Dex, Billy-Ray, Serpine or Saracen. Thanks go out to **CJBrown** for the review and chapter idea. I took some liberties, so I'm the one to flame.

* * *

Later there was a hesitant knock on our door. "Valkyrie? Anton? We're all having take away if you're interested." Ghastly called in, sounding amused.

"Be right there!" I called back at Anton's nod and went to the door to find Ghastly standing there. He looked profoundly disappointed to find us both dressed. "Not that it's any of my business, but I was hoping you two had made up." He said. "And started in on a grandchild for me. The other one grew up too quick." He teased as we walked down the hall.

"Give me time, dad." I said and both Ghastly and the other Dead Men looked delighted.

I could tell though, as we sat down to eat, something was bothering Skulduggery. "As long as we've all been telling the truth lately, I have a confession to make. I- I was seeing China all those times. I'm sorry, Val."

I shrugged. "I know. And I know you're still in love with her. It's all right you know. Everything that's happened, that's for the two of you to sort out. For what it's worth, I think you're the only man she ever loved." He looked at me and I could read his silent question.

I shrugged in response and he nodded. I caught Anton's look and sighed. Just when things were going so right, too. "We were seeing China at the same time and we knew about it. That's what the fight was really about." I said.

Anton blinked, but didn't say a word and that scared me more than his anger over Billy-Ray or Serpine. "Anton, I was a bad person, OK? We never did anything physical, but-" I trailed off. "Fine, yes, I was in love with her. But not the same way I love you, I swear."

A hush fell over the table. "Anton-" I tried, but he got up and left the room without a word. I turned to Skulduggery. "What is it with you and bringing things up in front of him? Are you happy now?" I asked angrily. "I left China so you could have her! What else do you want out of me?"

That of course is when Anton had reentered the room and I cursed my timing. "Anton, please." I said, but he looked stricken. Dex spoke up, so quietly I almost didn't hear him.

"I know you're hurt, Anton, but Valkyrie never lied to you. Are you saying I don't deserve to be loved some day? That Saracen doesn't?" He asked. Anton just looked at him and the look killed me inside.

I sighed, then took off my rings and put them on the table. "You deserve better than me, Anton. Anybody does." I looked at Skulduggery. "She's yours, Detective. She's always been yours, you just wouldn't see it because you think you have to suffer. I was never a threat to you, no matter what you think."

And with that I left the table, packed a bag, and got my car out of the garage. I drove away from the Midnight Hotel, wondering if the Dead Men would remain together, and supposing it didn't matter. I'd always known my past would catch up to me and I was sorry Anton had been the one hurt by it, because he'd been the only person I'd ever truly loved.'

* * *

**Before you all yell, check out the Skuldpedia article on Val. Landy himself calls Val "predominantly straight". And, yesss, the story go on. I was listening to M****elissa Etheridge's "I Want to Come Over" to get in the mood for the heartache, but it could turn into Queen's "The Show Must Go On".**


	49. Chapter 49

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Ghastly, Anton or Skulduggery.

* * *

I was crying so hard as I rounded a bend around a hill that I realized I had to pull over before I wrecked. So I did and put my head on the steering wheel, but I felt so numb and dead inside that the tears suddenly stopped. I was staring out the windscreen contemplating a future alone when there was a gentle knock on my window.

I looked up, startled to see Ghastly. I got out and collapsed in his arms and then the tears did come. All the tears of grief and loss I'd never allowed myself to cry before. "Hush, sweetheart. Daddy's here, shh." He soothed, rocking me back and forth while he stroked my hair. "Get in the car, baby. I'll drive."

I nodded and got in, scooting over so Ghastly could drive. He sighed as we started out. "Before you ask, I have no idea what that man's problem is, Val. It's like he never fell in love before and he had to, at some point. I know I've been in love more times than I can count, God only knows what he'd do with that." He bumped my shoulder slightly and I gave him a shaky grin.

"Were going to the airport then to Ireland?" I asked and he nodded. "Good. Anton mentioned being in love before, and that the Gist was always a deal breaker. At least I thought he meant love. And he said I was the first to both love and desire him so I assumed there were women in his past."

Ghastly nodded and turned on the radio softly. As we left the nowhere the Midnight Hotel always appeared in and rejoined civilization I sighed. We'd been together for a mere moment by magical standards. And I knew I'd heal, but what we had was over now. Another failed romance. "You know, I've always had a feeling Anton had a family before. And I didn't mind. And that he had lovers before me. Was I jealous? Yeah, but it isn't reality to expect anything different."

"Mm. Well Anton seems to have trouble living in reality. Give me your mobile sweetheart." He said as it started to ring. I did and he took it then fished his out of his pocket and flicked them both out the window onto the highway behind us. I watched as a truck behind us crushed them into dust and laughed.

Dad laughed with me. "That's my girl. Thank God I didn't sell the shop. You can move in with me sweetie, until you're strong enough. I don't want you alone right now."

"Thanks, Dad." I said and he nodded.

* * *

It seemed to take forever, but we reached Ireland at last. When we got to Ghastly's shop it was the wee small hours of the morning. I couldn't hardly see straight as Ghastly led me to the small cot in his back room. He brought in a sleeping bag and threw it on the floor, and laid down beside me. I appreciated the gesture and fell into a restless sleep, entering a nightmarish world where I realized the truth. Skulduggery had known exactly what he was doing at the table the day I left. He'd done what he did to get his revenge and it had worked.

* * *

**Man, the feels!**


	50. Chapter 50

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Ghastly, Anton, Skulduggery, Corrival or Samedi. Many thanks go out to **Justrockzyxxx** and **CJBrown **for reviewing.

* * *

Ghastly and I were emerging from the back room to see to breakfast when it happened. There was a burst of shadows and a group of men appeared in the shop. Even as I yelled and massed my own shadows to launch a counterattack a shape flew at me. I tried to hold it off with my shadows, but it was struggling and starting to overpower me.

I realized that it was a Gist, Anton's Gist, and as his black eyes locked on mine he made a helpless, mewling sound, reaching out his taloned hands beseechingly to me. I dropped my shadows and he tackled me in a tight embrace, nuzzling in while he made his raspy purring sound. "You're nothing but trouble, I should have gotten a kitten." I grumbled as I stroked his hair.

"Well, there is still time for that, cher." A nasal voice said and I looked over to see Samedi looking rather pleased with himself. "Oh, he likes you." He chuckled as the Gist went from purring nuzzles to happy kisses. I wanted to be mad, but the instant I'd seen him I'd forgiven him. We'd both overreacted and behaved like toddlers.

"Sorry, sweetheart." I murmured before capturing his lips with mine. He returned the kiss as he always did, with great enthusiasm, and as Anton reeled him in Samedi spoke again.

"Bon. I come sooner, but you two children be. Need lesson. You no do this again, non?" He asked, tilting his sunglasses down slightly to stare at us over the top, and I knew how very angry he was with both of us right then.

"No, never." We both agreed at once.

"C'est bon. Because next time I take the pretty one as my bride. You two grow up. Talk about past. Stop being so...emo." He said, then shivered with distaste. "And you, you cause lot trouble." He growled, pointing his cane at Skulduggery. "When I take others back, you stay. Go to your woman. Keep your mouth shut, yappy skeleton." He growled.

Skulduggery, realizing the Baron was actually being kind, nodded happily, though he had the good sense to look chastened. We all did. "Run away. Like little children." He grumbled as he gestured for us to all stand close together. "The feels." He minced. Then blackness swelled and receded and we were in the Midnight Hotel. Samedi stepped back and looked at all of us and shook his head. Children." He grumbled, then disappeared.

I blushed and looked at Anton who took me in his arms. "He's right, we both acted like children. I'm sorry, Valkyrie. Please forgive me." He said in that gentle voice of his. I cuddled up tightly, hearing the pleased murmurs of the other Dead Men.

Corrival cleared his throat. "I agreed with Samedi when he arrived last night in my room. You two children needed a lesson about reality. That said, this book on Gists is most edifying. Especially the part about them having only one true mate in a lifetime." He said, handing over a slim, grey volume.

I realized then that Samedi had not only helped start our romance with his ruse in the Sanctuary, but he'd interfered again to save our marriage. And I was glad we had such a powerful if sometimes frightening ally.

* * *

**Ah, so Samedi saves the day. But what other secrets does the book contain? One can only wonder. **


	51. Chapter 51

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Serpine, China, Erskine or Dex. Special thanks goes out to CJBrown and IrishDemigodValduggeryFan for the reviews!

* * *

Anton and I had retired to our room and he sighed as he cradled me in to him before the fireplace. "The downside of a romance like ours is that we never did address the past and we should have. The book is right. I can't take the idea of you with anyone else, and that's hypocritical on my part." He looked at me, then continued. "I've certainly been interested in the past, and had I not terrified any of those women we might not be having this discussion."

"Were you ever married? Children?" I asked and he shook his head.

"I very rarely if ever got to hold one of them in my arms. I think they were intrigued by me, that I seemed dangerous, but I frightened them as well. There was one notable exception and I only knew her by the name Lilac." He offered me coffee, and spoke as he made it for both of us, his hands shaking slightly as he worked.

"I had just finished the Midnight Hotel and she showed up seemingly out of nowhere. I remember her being a striking woman, with violet eyes and dress to match that had black lace trim. She was dressed like a proper Victorian era lady, and I couldn't imagine why she needed my help." He handed me my coffee then continued, staring into his own cup.

"She played the damsel in distress quite well. And I'd never met a woman who seemed attracted to me before. She took advantage of my inexperience with women and soon she seemed to be the perfect woman for me, because she too had a Gist. I loved her very deeply."

"What happened?" I asked, though I thought I already knew.

"She was, in reality, a former spy for Nefarian Serpine. Who happened to also work for China and several others. They all wanted to see if the Hotel had any military or other possibilities."

"Oh, Anton, I'm so sorry. Finding out I'd seen both of them had to be your worst nightmare come true."

"It was. And you're taking knowing there was almost a Mrs. Shudder long before you quite well." He said, surprised.

"As Skulduggery would say, I wouldn't know any better. If you'd been married I'd most likely be out being my shallow, guy-chasing self." I said and he smiled faintly. "And it's OK if you still love her, you know. Can't say that's there's anyone that I'm still in love with, but I was out for a good time." I shrugged.

Anton smiled and sipped his coffee, then looked at me with a sigh. "I will try to do better in the future, to control my emotions better, but you have to as well. Agreed, Mrs. Shudder?"

"Yes, agreed. And yes, I was going to say something really smart to that." I admitted.

"I can imagine. Now shall we rejoin the others and take our lumps? It will be most amusing to have Dex of all men tell me how to behave." He said, grinning.

"Mm. And try not to laugh when Erskine tells you the same thing. He should talk. He never even remembers their names." I said, and we both laughed, then went to face the music.

* * *

**Whee! I can imagine them trying to keep a straight face when Erksine lectures them about morals, can't you? Or Dexter, or Saracen?**


	52. Chapter 52

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, China, Dex, Anton or anyone else you might recognize. Thanks go out to **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for the review!

* * *

Several months later Skulduggery got in contact with me. He and China wanted to meet me for coffee, someplace public, and I was welcome to bring the Dead Men if I chose provided they sat at a discrete distance away, of course. Corrival frowned when I relayed the news to them all. "You're not going, are you?" He asked. "It sounds like a trap, China disdains going out in public, especially around mortals."

I nodded. "Unless those two are in such deep trouble that they have to stay close to mortals and the public eye."

Anton regarded me thoughtfully. "You want to see what they are up to, don't you?" He asked and I nodded.

"China isn't social as Corrival said. She has information. That said? It's a gamble. She could be in league with someone and luring me out to pay a debt. Though even though a public setting forbids magic, it doesn't forbid fighting."

We all debated, then agreed I'd take the bait, and soon enough we were meeting in Paris for coffee. I'd elected to go alone, or at least appear to. The Dead Men would filter themselves through the crowd and buildings, some ready to open fire if need be, and as China rose to grace me with a smile I was glad they were. "My dear, you look simply ravishing, marriage has agreed with you."

"China. Skulduggery." I said, seating myself and ordering a coffee. It was a risk. If this was an abduction I could easily be drugged and whisked away. But I think they sensed the equal danger they faced. Dex had a fondness for his new sniper rifle that bordered on obsession and I thought he'd jump at the chance to use it.

"Well, I'll get to the point." China said, wasting a pretty smile on me. "I have the man I want, and lately, I've been getting visits from a man who wants you." I nodded, hoping Anton hadn't just imploded from the bit of news as he and Corrival monitored us via a wire hidden in my jacket.

"Who would be?" I asked in a bored tone, then sipped my coffee as I stared at her, ignoring Skulduggery.

"Mevolent."

"Never heard of him." I said in the same bored tone.

"Well he's heard of you, my dear. He said to tell you he knows more about you than you think."

"Sounds like a man who wants to die a second time." I said rising. "You tell Mevolent that next time I expect him and not a courier. And that if he knows as much as he thinks he does this is the only warning he'll ever get."

* * *

**Will it be Darquesse against Mevolent in a world-shattering showdown?**


	53. Chapter 53

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Darquesse, Mevolent, Lord Vile or China. Thanks go out to **CJBrown** for the review!

* * *

Not long after I accepted an invitation from Mevolent and found myself seated across from him in his castle throne room, on a throne of equal grandeur. "You have no need to hide your true self from me, Darquesse." He'd said in greeting and I shifted, letting my eyes and hair go black.

"I like your pets." I said, indicating Lord Vile and China who stood by Mevolent's throne. Vile said and did nothing in response, but China coloured in shame.

"What's the matter, China? Afraid I'm going to care how often you bowed before your masters?" She winced and I turned my amused gaze to Mevolent. "So, talk." I said in a bored tone.

Mevolent smiled. "No pleasantries, Darquesse? No witty banter? Very well then, how about this for an opener? I need you to help me achieve a dream and if you don't I'll show my tender mercies to you family."

I laughed. "See if I care. I'm bored with them already. Mind if I take your overgrown tin can out back and smash him?"

"Actually, I _would_ mind. Nothing scares you, does it? Can you even feel emotions, I wonder?" Mevolent asked.

"Not really. If you're going to ask rude questions you really ought to think of serving your guests refreshments. I understand you make a mean rare baby."

"Mm. Raw, much healthier. Oh, I _do_ like you. Why don't we work together then? I get this planet, and you get, say, another one? I can open many worlds to you, Darquesse, worlds that you couldn't destroy otherwise."

"I'm listening."

"Excellent. You see, I'll need your help to open a certain doorway in a few decades. I'd do it myself, but I'll be busy with the Sanctuary again, I'm afraid."

"So why seek me out now?"

"I think it should be obvious."

"Let's pretend it's not."

"Very well then, Darquesse. Why waste your time demeaning yourself in a hotel when you can live in a castle and be a queen? You agree to help me, become one of my generals, and I can make arrangements that we'll both find, shall we say, most pleasurable?"

"You do know I get on my knees for no one?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow in amusement.

"Oh, you'll only do that when you want to, and if you refuse me, you will."

* * *

**Oh no he didn't! Well our darling Mevolent A) Get thrown around the room by Darquesse B) Shadow-punched in the face by Lord Vile or C) eaten by the Mongolian death worm Sparky that Darquesse keeps as a pet in an alternate reality? Stay tuned to find out!**


	54. Chapter 54

A/N: I don't own Darquesse, Valkyrie, Mevolent, Lord Vile, China, Erskine, Thrasher or Scapegrace. Many thanks go out to **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** and **CJBrown** for reviewing and helping me pick Mevolent's fate. Violence ahead.

* * *

I smiled at Mevolent. "Do you know what I like about you, Mevolent?" I asked.

"What's that?"

"Nothing." I said rising as a black wave of shadows burst from the ceiling then poured down the walls. They poured under our feet, completely enclosing the throne room. "_Nobody_ threatens my family, ever." I growled. "And I like my pet a lot better than yours. They're not even defending you. I don't even think they like you." And Vile obligingly proved my point by shadow-punching Mevolent in the face. I nodded my appreciation, then set to work.

I gestured and a black swirling portal appeared in midair. I whistled and something red, big and nasty slid out of the portal then writhed over to me. "I want you to meet my pet. He's a bona fide Mongolian death worm." I said, petting the red creature. And he's very, very loyal."

I knelt down to cuddle Sparky. "Who's a good boy? Is Sparky a good boy?" I asked and he wriggled his red body excitedly. His circular mouth opened and closed, his gaping, fang-filled maw ready for a yummy. "OK, boy, you're gonna get a treat, but first let's show everyone how smart you are." I crooned.

"Sparky? Spark." I said, pointing towards Mevolent, and the worm obediently launched a blast of electricity that would have killed most mages. Mevolent did his best to endure, but in the end he stared to scream as his healing powers slowed.

I petted Sparky and he stopped, then turned his head toward me. "Mama give kisses." I crooned, kissing his fanged maw. "Now, Sparky, spit." Sparky undulated over, raised himself up and spit corrosive acid right in Mevolent's face. He kept spitting, covering every inch, until the former would-be ruler of the world was a goopy, gooey mess that he then ate.

Belly full he sluggishly crawled back to me then through the portal after another cuddle. I closed the portal and dropped my shadows. I smiled at Vile and China. "We need to do this more often and it looks like you need a new master. Pick one that's fun for me to kill." I said.

Lord Vile titled his head in amusement. China just turned paler that usual and didn't have a word to say. I massed my shadows around me with a laugh and went home.

* * *

Scapegrace and Thrasher ran to me, mobbing me with affection. "Is he dead?" Thrasher asked.

"Yes, I let one of my pets have him for a yummy." I said, "But that isn't dinner table talk, I'll tell you later." I said, heading for the kitchen since I smelled fried chicken. The men looked startled to see me and I giggled.

"Oh, right, sorry." I said and shifted back to normal. That was fun." I added as Erskine passed the bucket of chicken. There were sides and bread from the fast food chain as well, and everyone was content to let me eat before I talked. And when they had heard what had happened, I think they were glad I saved the gory tale for after dinner.

* * *

**Wheee, randomness!**


	55. Chapter 55

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton or Darquesse. Special thanks go out to **Justrockzyxxx** and **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for reviewing!

* * *

Anton was all too happy to get me alone that night. We snuggled in front of the fireplace in our room, truly at peace, sipping hot coco and feeding one another the rather addictive goat's milk caramel wafers we loved. I fed Anton one, watching his eyes close in bliss. "I'm glad you all trusted me to go alone. I know it had to be hard on all of you to just go on with your day in case you were being watched."

Anton nodded, then drew me into a lingering kiss."I knew you could destroy them all with no problem. Sort of makes the rest of us obsolete."

"Never. As it is, I'm exhausted." I said and his handsome face was instantly clouded with concern.

"Exhausted how? Magical battle exhausted or?" He asked hopefully.

"Or." I agreed and the smile he rewarded me with was worth everything to me.

"Are you sure?" He asked excitedly.

"I'm sure. She'll look a lot like Darquesse, you know."

"She? I'll have a daughter?" He asked reverently and drew him into a soft kiss as a reward.

"Yes, she." I said, smiling warmly at him. "I wanted her father to know first. Darquesse realized, well, I realized she was there when I shifted. She's OK, she's our baby, you know." Anton started to murmur loving words between the soft, feathery kisses he covered my face with.

I realized then how lucky we were. We had a wonderful marriage with a family that saw us through the rough spots. We were soul mates and best friends as well as being Dead Men, which bound us together forever. As I returned his attentions Anton shivered with pleasure. "I don't suppose?" He asked and I nodded.

Anton sat back and his eyes closed, then the Gist emerged. He greeted me with his raspy purr, then touched my belly gently with a taloned hand. His purr grew curious. "Yes, Anton, you're still her father, just like with Larrikin. I'll want you to love and play with her too." I said and his purring grew louder as he turned upside down in midair to look at me, making me laugh.

I took him into my arms, and he pulled me down into a gentle kiss, taking the extreme care he always showed when I was pregnant. I knew then we were meant to be. A Gist, according to the book, only flipped over into a vulnerable position if he felt secure and loved by his spouse. I caressed his chest and he grinned at me, clearly smitten. "I love you too, Anton." I said, then captured his lips with mine once more.

* * *

In the morning we told the family, and the men immediately kicked me off of hotel duties until the baby's arrival. I didn't dare protest, I owed them that much since it seemed I was always facing danger alone. And I supposed, nine months of having the Dead Men dote on me wasn't a bad thing.

* * *

**Aww, baby Darquesse. Squee!**


	56. Chapter 56

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Darquesse, Skulduggery, Lord Vile, China, Mevolent, Corrival, Erskine, Anton or Ghastly. Special thanks go out to

**Justrockzyxxx** for the review and for giving me the idea for the chapter.

* * *

I was so tired that day that I retreated to our room and laid down on the sofa. I was drifting to sleep when a velvety voice spoke to me. "Brought you something." I opened my eyes to see Skulduggery. He was holding a jar of lemon curd out for me to see. Which meant he knew I was pregnant.

I caught him in a hug, then sat up. "How did you get here and how did you know?" I asked and he chuckled as he sat down.

"Shadow-walked. Lord Vile knew even before Darquesse did. And he knew China would harm that child or himself to protect herself. Pity he never told her he could do that. We all know how he gets when his family is in danger."

"I'm just glad he knew I needed his help. Had Mevolent managed to attack-"

"I know. Let's go tell the others I'm back, shall we? And I'll see to some take away french fries for you too. You need to eat extra this time, you know."

"You make it sound like twins are coming." I said as we walked out into the hall, the squealed and hugged him when he tilted his head in a smile.

* * *

I was put in the common room under Corrival's watchful eye. He and Skulduggery were under orders from Anton to see to my every need when he found out it was twins, and Corrival enjoyed his work. "According to Skulduggery, eight months of you getting watched over. Explains the fight you and Anton had and you running off like you did." I blushed and he waved a hand.

"Think nothing of it, my dear. My mother once tried to decapitate my father with a broadsword because he didn't like his breakfast. That's how she found out she was pregnant with me." He said fondly.

"It's all the changes we go through. But I'm going to be as big as a house if this keeps up. Not that it's minded." I said as Ghastly arrived with coco. He grinned at me.

"You need the calcium, so milk and whipped cream. "I'll take you jogging, Val. Don't worry. But with two of them you need to be careful not to go on some crazy diet, all right?"

"Even with one." Erskine put in from the doorway and I smiled at my family. They were all excited because I'd been half right. One would look like Darquesse. And the other would look like me. Twins girls, and Darquesse had seen the fighters they'd mature into, and she knew the future bad guys they encountered would be the sorrier for it.

* * *

**Oh, I can see the spin-off series now, can't you? Two sisters fighting crime, but I've only got rubbish names in my head at the moment so suggestions are welcome! And suggestions can always become Taken names, and yessss, we can skip, way, way ahead to when the are adults or continue with her being preggers.**


	57. Chapter 57

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, or Larrikin. Thanks go out to **Justrockzyxxx** and **IrishDemigodValduggeryFan** for the reviews and fantastic baby name suggestions. Two appear below and you never know what might happen with the others. Anton's history in this chapter is my invention with apologies to Derek Landy.

* * *

Larrikin and Anton both brought me flowers that day, seeing me gently to our apartment so I could rest in privacy. I settled in on the couch and was asleep before they could reach the door. I had the strangest dream, one so vivid, it felt real. In the dream I was in a small cottage crowded with a large family.

But I only saw the children, a little boy who looked a lot like Anton, and two little girls. The parents must have called to the children because they looked up attentively. The boy's name was Griffin which I tucked away in case I was ever blessed with another son. And the girls were Lily and Rose. I woke up, smiling. Lily and Rose, it must have been from the flower arrangements, still.

I pondered the names as I switched on the TV. I was never sure why, but once a mage had a Taken name, his or her Given name was never spoken again, except maybe in the family. Though I really didn't know why to be honest. Still, even though the Taken name protected the mage, I was reluctant to mention the names to Anton.

He'd never told me his Given name and I'd never told him mine. It was just one of those things mages did, I guessed. Again, I felt lonely and lost. I'd inherited magic, but not the world it came from. "I think Rose is a lovely name, don't you, Rose?" A woman's voice asked and I whirled to see two ethereal women smiling at me. Ghosts. Ghosts in the Midnight Hotel.

"Hello." I managed faintly.

"Hello, dear. We're Griffin's sisters. Rose and Lily. And we'd be most happy if you'd name the babies after us. Don't be afraid to let Griffin know we've visited. It's a pact we all made long ago, and a sign. Please tell him." Lily said with a gentle smile. And with that they faded from view.

* * *

I found Anton in his office. "Is the door locked?" I asked looking at the office door nervously.

"Yes, why? Valkyrie, aren't you well?" He asked, getting up and cradling me into him.

"I'm going crazy, Anton. First I had a dream that seemed like a vision of the past, your past, and now I'm seeing ghosts. Don't get angry, but they said they were your sisters Lily and Rose and that your Given name is Griffin." I said, then swallowed. I looked up at him but his gaze was gentle, not angry.

"So they came. And angry with you? Never. We made a pact before the war. That the siblings who went on first would watch over the others. There were many of us, but I was closest to Lily and Rose. They always promised they'd give me a sign when I'd found the right woman for me. A sign I couldn't mistake. And yes, my name was Griffin. It is the greatest level of trust to give another mage your Given name, so I know they trust you and you're the one for me."

He kissed my forehead gently, then bundled me closer. "They liked Lily and Rose for the girls and I agree if you don't mind. It beats, for example, Stephanie." I said and Anton drew me into a lingering kiss, understanding the gift I'd just given him.

* * *

**Griffin just seems to fit Anton as his Given name. Also it was believed that the legendary king of beasts mated for life. A lot like the bit I made up on Gists. And he just reminds me of one, for some reason. **


	58. Chapter 58

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie or Anton. Thanks go out to** Justrockzyxxx** for the review. This story has jumped the shark, so last chapter alert!

* * *

I wasn't sure why, but the others could tell what we did, and insisted we spend dinner and the rest of the evening in our apartment together. Anton agreed to let me make dinner, and I was doing prep work when a raspy voice spoke behind me. "Steph-a-nie."

I turned to see Anton's Gist, he blinked then spoke, clearly making an effort to do so. "Stephanie, thank you." He said haltingly.

"You're welcome, Griffin." I said gently. "You do know that I love you, right? That I'd never hurt you?" I asked and he blinked, his best version of a nod. I went to take him in my arms, but he backed up to look at me.

"I'm sorry, Stephanie, for everything." He said. "For attacking you that day. For my jealously, for everything. I'm sorry."

"Sometimes I wonder which of you is the evil half." I said, and he laughed rustily. Griffin looked at me, seemed to hesitate then spoke.

"I may not be out again for a long time, Stephanie. A very long time. I may... Hibernate for a while."

"Is it something I did?" I asked trying to go to him and again he backed away.

"No. I wouldn't go back in, not after knowing your Given name. I choose to this time, but I would want to take over. The Anton you love would be dead. I control myself for you, Stephanie, because I love you. But even Mr. Hyde reverted to his true nature in the end. Anton will still have me for magic, but never like this, never again. Goodbye, Stephanie. I love you." And with that he closed his eyes and let Anton reel him in.

Anton smiled at me sadly. "I do love you, Valkyrie. But he is right. The temptation would be too great. He can't ever see you, ever again. I am sorry."

"It's all right, Anton, I understand. He and I had a long time together, and you told me once he always hears me."

"He did, but he will sleep for a very, very long time. I have other magic, and I can still use him as a last resort. He was never meant to be given love or to give love so you gave him a very rare gift indeed. And that is something we will both love you for forever."

* * *

**Finis.**


End file.
